I have a profound, unfeigned faith in the Bible. Through grace, I have been converted, enlightened, quickened, and saved by it. Through the Bible I have received the knowledge of God, to adore the perfections of Jesus—the Saviour, joy, strength, and comfort of my soul. Many have been indebted to ministers of the gospel or to friends as the means of their being brought to God—this was not my case. That work, which is always God’s, was wrought in me by means of the written Word. He who knows the value of Jesus will know how precious the Bible will be to such a one as myself.

If I have failed the Bible, in nearly thirty years’ of difficult and varied life and labor, I have never found it to fail me. If it has not failed for the poor and needy circumstances of time, through which we feebly pass, I am assured it will never fail for eternity: “the word of God … abideth for ever” (1 Peter 1:23).

Just as the love of God reaches even to me, applying itself to every detail of my feebleness and failure, proving to be divine by doing so, the Word of God, which reaches down even to my low estate, also reaches up to God’s height, because it is from God. As Jesus came from God and went to God, so does the Book that divinely reveals Him come from and lead to Him. If received, it has brought the soul to God, for He has revealed Himself in it. Its positive proofs are all in itself. The sun needs no light to see it by.

I declare, in the fullest, clearest, and distinctest manner possible, my deep, divinely-taught conviction of the inspiration of the Scriptures. When I read the Bible, I read it as of absolute authority for my soul as God’s Word. There is no higher privilege than to have communications directly from God Himself.

For nearly thirty years, my joy, my comfort, my food, and my strength have been the Scriptures received without question as the Word of God. At the beginning of that period, I was put through the deepest exercise of soul on this point. Were heaven and earth, the visible church, and man himself to crumble away, I would, through grace, hold to the Word as an unbreakable link between my soul and God. Because of what we are, I do not doubt that the grace of the Holy Spirit is needed to make the Word profitable, and to give it real authority to our souls, but that does not change what it is in itself. To be true when it is received, it must have been true before.

Here I will add, that although it requires the grace of God and the work of the Holy Ghost to give it quickening power, yet God’s Word—divine truth—has a hold on the natural conscience from which it cannot escape. The light detects the wrong-doer, though he may hate the light. This is exactly what shows the wickedness of man’s will in rejecting God’s Word. Men resist it because it is true. Did it not reach their conscience, they would not take so much effort to get rid of it or to disprove it. Men do not arm themselves against straws, but against a sword whose keen edge is felt and feared.

The Bible speaks of grace as well as truth. It speaks of God’s grace and love, Who gave His only begotten Son so that sinners like you and me might be with Him. It is His desire that we know Him deeply, intimately, and enjoy Him now; that the conscience, perfectly purged, might joy in His presence, without a cloud, without reproach, without fear. To be there in such a way, in His love, is perfect joy. The Word will tell you the truth concerning yourself, but it will also tell you the truth of a God of love, while unfolding the wisdom of His counsels.

Let me add, dear reader, that the best means by far of assuring yourself of the truth and authority of the Word of God is to read the Word itself.

—Adapted from the Preface to “Irrationalism of Infidelity”

Learn to grapple with souls.
Aim at the conscience.
Exalt Christ.
Use a sharp knife with yourself.
Say little, serve all, pass on.

This is true greatness, to serve unnoticed and work unseen.

Oh, the joy of having nothing and being nothing, seeing nothing but a living Christ in glory, and being careful for nothing but His interests down here.

—J.N.D.

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”(Galatians 6:9)

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”(1 Corinthians 15:58)

“For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward His name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.”(Hebrews 6:10)

“Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (Hebrews 13:20,21)

BELOVED IN THE LORD: In these days in which we live, there is great need that we be more quiet before the Lord. Just to enter into, and abide in such sweet communion with Him that we may at all times feast on that fruit of the Spirit which is Love, Joy, Peace, etc. (Galatians 5:22,23)¹. These verses are just a picture of what our Lord Jesus Christ is, and what He wants to be, to every one of His dear ones. This is very precious to the heart that has tasted that the Lord is Good. O, that we might enter more into the mind of God, about the One whose infinite loveliness is His daily delight, who always pleased Him, who rejoiced always before Him (Matthew 17:5; Proverbs 8:30)².

When we are rejoicing in His love do we ever stop to think whether He is happy? We sing, “That will be glory for me.” How much more blessed to sing, “That will be glory for Him.” O, that we might get so completely away from self and from seeking our own welfare as to be able to live before Him just to minister to the needs of His own loving heart, just to make Him happy. No one was ever happy who was seeking happiness. Only those taste of real joy who are seeking to give joy to the heart of another. We come to Him many times to have our own needs met. Do we ever come just to satisfy the longings of His own heart of love?

He is seeking worshippers, those who will speak His real worth, His beauty, His glory. Has He found them in us? Have we been seeking to give Him the joy that was before Him when He endured the cross, when He paid the awful price of our redemption? Will our only joy in the glory be that we are saved and made like Him? Will not the joy of knowing that He is satisfied, that He has been made to rejoice, far transcend all this? Ah, beloved, we are so prone to look at everything from our own standpoint, from the effect it will have on us instead of its relation to Him. We have wept with Him over old stony hearts. Have we ever rejoiced with Him just because He found His sheep? We are often made to rejoice by the joy of those dear to our hearts. Are we ever happy for no other reason than that we know He is happy? How often we sell our ointment—that which should have been poured out upon Him—under pretense of giving something to the poor (John 12:1-11)³. How often we deny Him the time that His loving heart craves under pretense of being too busy with service. Dr. C. I. Scofield says, “I grow very weary of the constant spurring of God’s people to service, service, as if any father ever did care so much to have his children toiling for him as loving and trusting him.”

O, that we might ask ourselves under every circumstance, “Will this bring joy to His loving heart?” We may be doing many things that are not positively evil, but do they contribute to His joy? How much we need to get better acquainted with Him. To know Him aright will lessen our care to know anything else, for He is the fullness of God. In Him is comprehended all that God has for us from the moment we are saved to the countless ages of eternity.

Yet a little while and we shall be forever with Him. Will we regret then that we spent much time alone with Him while in this wilderness scene? My heart longs for that time when I shall never again grieve Him. How patient, how gentle He has been with every one of us. How the lack of appreciation on the part of friends has grieved us. How we have wept when having exhausted our efforts in some act of kindness, it is received with utter disregard. What, then, must it mean to Him who gave us everything to purchase us from eternal death, to have us show no concern about His happiness, about His glory, to have us occupied with everything but Himself?

¹ “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22,23 KJV).

² “While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him” (Matthew 17:5).

“Then I was by Him, as one brought up with Him: and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him” (Proverbs 8:30).

³ “Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom He raised from the dead. There they made Him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with Him. Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray Him, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this. For the poor always ye have with you; but Me ye have not always. Much people of the Jews therefore knew that He was there: and they came not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead. But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus” (John 12:1-11).

To My Fellow-Traveler on Life’s Journey:

Many of us have a wrong idea of what the Church is, and this wrong idea may result in our present and eternal loss. The Church is not a building of wood, of bricks, or of stones, nor is it an organization of man’s devising. The Bible tells us that the Church is the Body of Christ (Eph. 1:22,23), of which He, the risen and glorified Saviour in heaven, is the Head (Col. 1:18), and all His redeemed ones on earth are members (Rom. 12:4,5).

It is possible for one to have his name on a church roll, and even be very active in church work, and not be a member of Christ’s Body. If you are not a member of His Body, the Church, the only way to become one is by trusting Him as your Saviour (Eph. 2:13-16). When you trust the Saviour, the Holy Spirit will baptize you into the Body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:12,13). Then you will be united to Christ, the Head in Heaven, and to all other believers on earth. As the Body of Christ on earth—His Body composed of every believer.

Look at the human body. It is one body composed of many members—hand, foot, etc. God has given every member a definite place of service, and every member needs every other member for the body to function properly. So the Church, the Body of Christ, is one Body composed of many members, every believer (1 Cor. 12). The Head has fitted every member for the service He wants it to do for His own glory and for the good of all (Eph. 4:7-16). Every believer should get his directions from the Head, and to the Head he will have to give an account of his stewardship.

In the wilderness, God dwelt among His earthly people Israel in the tabernacle (Exodus 29:43-46); then in the land of Palestine, He dwelt in Solomon’s temple (1 Kings 8:13). Now, God does not dwell in temples made with hands (Acts 7:48). Since Pentecost, by His Holy Spirit He indwells every believer (1 Cor. 6:19), and His temple on earth is His Church of living believers (2 Cor. 6:16).

The Lord Jesus Christ builds His Church (Matt. 16:18), and He is the foundation upon which it is built (1 Cor. 3:11). On the day of Pentecost, God, by His Holy Spirit sent down from heaven, formed the assembled believers at Jerusalem into His assembly (Acts 2:1-5,47). (The original Greek word “ecclesia” is correctly translated “Assembly” not “Church.”) As believers became scattered over the earth, they assembled in different places with Christ as their Center (Matthew 18:20), so that we may read of a church at Corinth (1 Cor. 1:2), or a church in someone’s house (Col. 4:15). When Christians leave a building where they have been assembled for worship, the Church has gone home. Every believer is a bit of the Church (1 Peter 2:5), and it takes every believer to make the one true Church of Jesus Christ. The Church is very visible (22 Cor. 3:2). The Christian is the only Bible many people ever read.

The Church is very dear to the Saviour’s heart (2 Cor. 11:2). Adam said of Eve that she was bone of his bones, and flesh of his flesh (Gen. 2:21-24). The Bible says of Christ and the Church that they are members of His Body, and of His flesh and of His bones (Eph. 5:29-32). However sadly Christians may fail, Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for it. He has redeemed it, He is keeping it day by day, and soon He will present it to Himself absolutely perfect (Eph. 5:23-27). The Saviour is coming back for His Church to take it to heaven, and He may come today (1 Thess. 4:13-18).

Will you not search the Bible with the aid of a concordance and ask God to teach you what He would like you to know about His Church?

“Christendom is full of divisions and parties, in subject to each other, which in turn abound with persons who are in nowise subject to Scripture or to the Lord. What then are YOU going to do?”

The Word of God says, “There is one body” (Eph. 4:4), not two, not three, but one—only one. That “one body” is the body of Christ (Eph. 1:23). Thus, every true Christian is to Christ what a man’s foot, hand, etc., is to the man (1 Cor. 12:12-27). Nowhere in Scripture do we read or find the idea of a Baptist, a Methodist, a Presbyterian, or any other body. The only thing found there is the one body of Christ, formed by the “one Spirit” of God. The relationship therefore of all true Christians is that of fellow-members of the one body of Christ—a divine relationship entered into at conversion by the Spirit’s baptism, and consummated in the glory of heaven to which the Church is destined.

Christians assuming any other relationship than this with one another, associating themselves together on any other principle than this, are therefore sectarian. They form another tie than that which God has formed, and by which He binds all His children of this dispensation together.

But the members of that one body are scattered all over the earth. They cannot assemble together in one place. They therefore assemble in any locality convenient to those who live in that locality. There may be “two or three,” or two or three hundred or thousand; Christ, the Saviour and Head of the Church, has pledged Himself to be present in the midst of them thus assembled (Matt. 18:20). He is their Center of assembling as the ark was of old the gathering-center of Israel. He is also the attractive Object of all their hearts— every one rejoicing in the presence, to faith, of the Lord Jesus. These local churches, or assemblies, are, of course, even as the persons who compose them, “one body in Christ, and every one members one of another” (Rom. 12:5). If new converts be received in one locality, they are received there on behalf of the whole Church of God universal, and thus introduced into her fellowship—her fellowship, mark, not her membership, for they were already made members by the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Should one move where he is unknown, a letter of commendation gives him full access to all privileges everywhere. If one walks in evil and is put under discipline in one place, he is under discipline in the whole Church universal until he repents. All these local assemblies are, for their doctrine and their practice, primarily responsible to the Lord, inasmuch as “Christ is the head of the Church” (Eph. 5:23), and should any of them fall into evil doctrine or practice He may visit them with judgment, as in 1 Cor. 11:27-32, or take away its candlestick altogether as threatened in Rev. 2:5. They are also responsible to one another, for all “are members one of another” (Rom. 12:5). No local assembly can act for itself alone. Its actions affect all others, bind all others, and render thus all others responsible with it. It must therefore, when questioned, be open in the fullest way to investigation, as it is accountable to all the rest. The sense of this responsibility toward one another produces wholesome care in all that is done in each place.

But, someone may say, this is all very true, and sound doctrine, and in accord with all Scripture, but Christendom is full of divisions and parties, insubject to each other, which in turn abound with persons who are in no way subject to Scripture or to the Lord. What then are you going to do? Walk apart from them, and, by scriptural teaching and godly labor after the fashion of the apostles, form a fellowship on the principle of the whole Church of God, to practice among themselves what the whole Church should practice. It may be small and weak, and cause opposition and contempt, as in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah when they were building afresh upon the old foundations. But it will please God. The mere attempt will please Him. Faithful labor at it He will bless; and when the Lord returns He will manifest that every ‘living stone” which had been set on the old foundations had been set in a place of special blessing—blessing for eternity.

In John 9 we meet a poor man, blind from his birth, who gets his eyes anointed by the Lord and is sent to wash at Siloam. He goes, he washes, he sees.

The moment he sees, the neighbors are intrigued. They speak of him as the one who “sat and begged,” for he now sits and begs no longer. “Others said, He is like him.” Such was the change that took place when his eyes were opened, that they could scarcely recognize him as the same person. He, more conscious of this change than any other, says, “I am he.”

But now they must know how all this has come about. It has created a stir among them, and for some cause or other, it has made them all feel uncomfortable. He is questioned, and, in a simple, artless manner, bears witness to what he knows: “A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went, and washed, and I received sight.”

Troubles now multiply. The case is referred to the Pharisees. Questioned by them, he has but one answer: “He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed and do see.” These were the facts. It was the truth. What else could he say?

It is strange that simple truth should cause so much trouble, especially a truth which ought to have made them all rejoice. But cause trouble it did, and so it does, and so it will do to the end. The Pharisees were divided, the Jews believed not, and so they all go to the parents of the man. Unbelief and self-righteousness will leave no stone unturned to prove that the truth is not the truth.

The parents can testify as to their son, and they do so unhesitatingly: “This is our son, and he was born blind.” However, they refuse to commit themselves further than this, “He is of age; ask him.” They deny knowing how and by whom their son had passed from darkness to light. “They feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that [Jesus] was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.”

No doubt they had at the first been more or less partakers of their son’s joy, for such remarkable joy must have carried others along with it, at least in measure. But the root of the matter was not in them, and now that the offense connected with the name of their son’s benefactor comes out on all sides—now that it is a question of losing their place in the synagogue—they cannot stand, they flinch, they are “offended in Him” (Matthew 13:57).

Not so with their son. A seat in the synagogue had not given him eyes, the Pharisees had never sent him to Siloam, and though one of the Jews, he only “sat and begged.” Now he was free, and it was Jesus who had set him free. Was he going to give up to them, though they come with such a pious saying as, “Give God the praise,” to cover a blasphemy? He could not; he is in the light. Jesus has put him there, and he will be true to what he has, even though it puts him in the same place as He whom they have agreed to reject. Come what may, he must testify to what he knows to be true, “Whether He be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.” Again, “Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.” The beggar has actually turned into a preacher. Oh, the blessedness and the moral grandeur of being true to what we know!

And now for the cost. They revile him; he is a heretic because he has gone from honoring Moses to glorifying Moses’ Lord. They close their ears to his unanswerable words, and finally “they cast him out.” They have done all that they can do.

Reader, do you know what all this means? Have you been brought to the light? I do not mean the light simply as to the question of your salvation, but of any and every matter of truth—the Church, the Holy Ghost, the coming again of the Lord, and any part of God’s revealed will? And have you been true to it? Have you been true to every ray of light which has reached your soul? Then, I venture to say you know what I am speaking about. You know what it is to have left behind father, mother, friends, religious connections, and religious position. You know what it is to be alone in this world. Once in your life you have been solitary indeed. You had not chosen it nor sought it, but there you found yourself. You had found blessing which your soul appreciated, but blessing is no company in itself. It meets the need but it does not satisfy the heart. Mere need must have something; the heart must have somebody.

Jesus finds the blessed man whom faithfulness had brought into this solitude, and He is going to take him out of it. “Dost thou believe on the Son of God?” is the question He puts to him. The man is ready to move forward, as are all who are true to the light they possess, and accordingly he replies, “Who is He, Lord, that I might believe on Him?” Jesus said, “Thou hast both seen Him and it is He that talketh with thee.”

This is enough! The Sun that gave him light has now become the center of the universe newly spread before his vision. What are father, mother, synagogue, and all the rest now? He has found a gain which sinks all his losses into insignificance. He has found Him who, for all eternity, as well as for all time, is enough to satisfy his heart. He falls at His feet; he worships Him. Henceforth to serve Him and care for His interests will be second in importance only to Christ Himself. To get the smile of His approval day by day in his conscience, and by-and-by the assurance of it from His own lips, is sweeter than life. He has found Him from whom every good thing radiates—the Lord Himself. He has not passed from one synagogue into another, perhaps a more godly one, or with more correct doctrine; he has not “changed his views,” nor found “a better religion”; no, he has lost all he had, and he has found all he wants, and ever will want—the Son of God, Christ HIMSELF!

Suppose there was no other person with Christ when he met Him? What would it matter? Is not Christ all by Himself enough? Is there need of a great company with Him? No, my soul delights to repeat it, He, and He only, is enough for such a one.

Suppose he had found ten thousand already gathered to the Son of God when he met Him. He would have been at once with them, but gathered to Christ Himself, not to these ten thousand. Suppose ten thousand more were gathered after him. It would make him happy indeed for their sakes, and for the honor of Him whom he loves, but tens of thousands cannot add to the delight of his soul in Christ’s company. Suppose troubles arise in the company. Suppose many be offended and leave. What would it matter? To whom can he go? There is no other.

Depend upon it, dear reader, you cannot stand in the hour of the storm unless you have been “alone with Jesus,” unless it is HIMSELF who fills your eye and your heart. If it is to the company which is about Him that you have come, instead of Himself, you have something more to learn, something more to lose. You have yet found no center for your heart, and you are yet but a wandering star. And be sure of this, that Satan will leave none untested who connect themselves with the name of Christ.

But if such be the portion of him who has found in Christ his “all” already here, what will it be, oh, what will it be up there where nothing more to mar the glory of His face, we shall see how worthy He is for whom we have lost all through faithfulness to Him!

As we who are Christians come to understand and appreciate the blessings that God has bestowed upon us, the position in which He has placed us in this world, and the hope that we have for all eternity, I believe we will come to the realization that God has not called us to get involved in the politics of the world.

“Our conversation [or citizenship] is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:20). If we are citizens of the United States, we do not go to Canada, Switzerland, Kenya, or any other country to vote in the elections of those countries. By analogy, if we are citizens of heaven, it is inappropriate for us to take part in government elections on earth. We are ambassadors for Christ” (2 Cor. 5:20).

The blessings that we possess as Christians are in heaven. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: … and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 1:3; 2:4-6).

Further, we are enjoined by the Lord Jesus, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth … but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, … for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matt. 6:19-21). The reason we want to have our hearts centered in heaven is

that Christ Himself is there: “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection [or mind] on things above, not on things on the earth” (Col. 3:1-4).

  Finally, our whole future for the ages of eternity lies in heaven. “I will come again and receive you unto Myself, that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:3). “The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shot, … and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:16,17).

Thus, our citizenship is in heaven, not on earth. Our blessings are in heaven, not on earth. Our treasure is to be laid up in heaven, not on earth. Our mind is to be set on things above, not on things on the earth. And our dwelling place for eternity will be in heaven, not on earth. Do not these simple truths speak volumes to us as to our involvement in earthly causes and politics?

In all things we have Christ as our example for our walk here on earth (1 Pet. 2:21;1 John 2:3-6). If we study His life and walk here on earth, as described in the Gospels, we will find that He was not occupied with trying to influence government officials, alter the laws of the land, or bring about a change in government in His native country. Rather, He was occupied with showing the people their lost, sinful condition (Matt. 18:11; 22:12,13; Luke 5:32; 13:3; 15:1-31; 16:19-31; 19:10) and what they must do to be saved (John 3:16; 3:36; 5:24; 6:35,51; 10:9). He said of His disciples, “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (John 17:16).

The apostle Paul as well, with all of his zeal and energy, directed that energy totally toward bringing the good news of salvation to the world and toward building up the saints in Christ. He taught that we should “be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God; the powers that be are ordained of God” (Rom. 13:1). He also enjoined that “supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for … kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty, for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior” (1 Tim. 2:1-3). Thus, instead of trying to bring in a change in our nation’s leaders and officials and lawmakers, we are enjoined to be subject to them and pray for them.

Now taking a stand of not voting and not getting involved in our nation’s politics on the ground that we are citizens of heaven caries with it some weighty implications that we do well to consider:

1. We will accept without complaint the fact that some of our public officials are morally corrupt or dishonest or apathetic or incompetent (Dan. 4:17). Instead of complaining about them we will pray for them.

2. We will accept without complaint any legislation passed, including that favoring abortion, permitting pornography, enhancing gay rights, etc., and we won’t seek to influence legislation by signing petitions that are aimed at preserving Christian freedoms and maintaining some semblance of national morality. Rather, we will pray for our legislators and seek ways to show the love and compassion of Christ to those involved in and affected by these evils.

3. We will accept without complaint high taxes and poor public services (such as the quality of public education, condition of roads, speed of mail delivery, etc.). We will be so occupied with the things of the Lord and with leading others out of earthly darkness into heavenly light that we will not be bothered about how our tax money is being spent.

4. We will accept without complaint increasing lawlessness, crime, and persecution of the righteous in our country. Rather we will allow these adversities to cast us all the more wholly upon the Lord and upon our fellow-Christians (see Matt. 5:10-12). Also, we will seek ways of showing the love of Christ to the victims, and criminals and prisoners.

If we are heavenly-minded to the extent that we do not get mixed up with the politics of the world, neither will we have any interest in indulging in the pleasures the world has to offer. We will not be seeking to be entertained at the world’s theaters, pool halls, night clubs, rock concerts, etc., nor by ungodly television programs, videos, and internet sites in our homes. Neither will we be laying up treasures upon earth (Matt. 6:19), nor ambitiously seeking fame, fortune, promotion, and reputation in this world through our jobs, social circles, club memberships, and the like.

“Ye are the salt of the earth” (Matt. 5:13), the Lord told His disciples. Salt here is symbolic of a preservative, and some take this as warranting Christians being active in trying to preserve our nation from the evil forces of atheism, secular humanism, pornography, etc. But, as we mentioned earlier, we find neither the Lord nor His apostles engaged in this kind of preservative work. We can only go so far in legislating morality.  The only way to be a lasting influence for good in one’s community and nation is to be helping our fellow citizens to receive Christ as their Savior, and helping and encouraging our fellow-Christians to be obedient to “be followers [or imitators] of God” (Eph. 5:1), and “love not the world” (1 John 2:15).

The Scripture says that “in the last days … men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, … fierce, despisers of those that are good. … Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived” (2 Tim. 3:1-13). I do not believe it is possible by any political means to stem the tide of wickedness described in these verses. If one kind of evil is eliminated through legislation or swift execution of justice, the void will quickly be replaced by another kind of evil. What this world needs is changed lives more than changed laws. So may we who have the light of Christ in our lives be faithful to proclaim Christ to the world and show forth in our lives His love and light to those about us. “Ye are the light of the world. … Let your light [that is, Christ] so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 5:14-16).

In conclusion, consider Abraham’s nephew, Lot. When the angels came to Sodom to rescue Lot and his family from the judgment that was about to fall upon that wicked city, where did they find him? “Lot sat in the gate of Sodom” (Gen. 19:1), meaning that he had a place of leadership and authority there. While sitting in the gate of a fundamentally law-abiding people (as in Exod. 8:13 and Prov. 31:23) may be a positive thing, Lot was “vexed with the filthy conversation [or behavior] of the wicked (2 Pet. 2:7,8). But instead of separating himself and his family from the wickedness, he seemingly allied himself with the unbelievers by becoming one of those authorities who “sat in the gate.” He may have thought he could change the tide of lawlessness and immorality in Sodom by his influence there at the gate, but we sadly see just the opposite effect.

Not only was the entire city destroyed by “brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven” (Gen. 19:24), thus attesting to Lot’s total failure in influencing the city for good, but we find failure in influencing his own family for good, and indeed failure in his own relationship with Jehovah. When he went out to warn his sons-in-law to flee, “he seemed as one that mocked” unto them (vs 14). Lot himself lingered so long that the angels had to practically drag him and his wife and daughters out of the city (vs 16). 

What a solemn warning this gives us to separate ourselves from this “present evil world” (Gal. 1:4) rather than joining any effort with the goal of improving the world which is soon going to be judged by God. May we be more heavenly-minded, having Christ as our one object. May we strive to “be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom [we] shine as lights in the world” (Phil. 2:15).

“No events can touch Christ.”

However high the waves may rise, there is no drowning of His love and thoughts towards us. The test is to our faith. The question is, Have we that faith which so realizes Christ’s presence as to keep us as calm and composed in the rough sea as the smooth? It was not really a question of the rough or the smooth sea when Peter was sinking in the water, for he would have sunk without Christ, just as much in the smooth as in the rough sea. The fact was, the eye was off Jesus on the wave, and that made him sink. If we go on with Christ, we shall get into all kinds of difficulty, many a boisterous sea; but being one with Him, His safety is ours. The eye should be off events, although they be ever so solemn, and surely they are so at this present time, and I feel them to be so; for none perhaps has a deeper sense than I of the growth of evil, and of the solemn state of things; but I know all is as settled and secure as if the whole world were favorable. I quite dread the way many dear saints are looking at events, and not looking at Christ and for Christ. The Lord Himself is the security of His people, and, let the world go on as it may, no events can touch Christ. We are safe on the sea if only we have the eye off the waves, with the heart concentrated on Christ and on the interests of Christ. Then the devil himself cannot touch us.

—J.N. Darby

We are here this Lord’s day morning to remember our Lord in His death for us. The Lord Jesus requested us to do this in Luke 22:19,20, “This do in remembrance of Me.” We are reminded of this again in 1 Corinthians 11:23-34 where we learn that this remembrance meeting is a vital part of the life of the local assembly. Acts 20:7 shows that the early church did this weekly.

We are happy you are here this morning to witness this special privilege of Christians. If you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, we trust you will be able to join in the singing and to add your Amen to the prayers of praise and thanksgiving unto the Lord.

You may wonder why the bread and wine are not passed to you to partake of in remembrance of the Lord. This is because we believe that the Bible teaches the following:

1. The breaking of bread is not an isolated act. It involves fellowship with others. In 1 Corinthians 10:16 we read, “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, Is it not the communion of the body of Christ?”

Communion has the thought of fellowship—a sharing together. When you break bread with us you are not only remembering the Lord with us, but you are also expressing fellowship with us in our teachings and position as gathered out to the Lord alone—apart from man-made denominations and gatherings. It would not be right for you to express fellowship with us in the breaking of bread unless you are convinced that the way we gather and what we teach is according to the Bible, and you are willing to walk in the same position with us.

2. Although the breaking of bread is the privilege of every Christian, it is very clear that this privilege can be forfeited by sin in a believer’s life or by association with evil (anything contrary to the Word of God). The Christians at Corinth were told to excommunicate a brother who was living in sin (1 Cor. 5:11-13).

We are told in 1 Timothy 5:22, “Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partakers of other men’s sins.” The laying on of hands is an expression of fellowship. If we were to accept someone into fellowship with us whom we did not know very well, we could very easily associate ourselves with sin. “Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?” (1 Cor. 5:6). For fellowship to be genuine, you must be well know by the assembly and vice versa. We hope that there will be opportunity for us to become better acquainted and to have more fellowship together.

3. In a local assembly the brothers and sisters are responsible to care for each other (1 Cor. 12:25). If someone is habitually absent from the gathering or falls into some sin, the Bible teaches that the assembly is to seek to restore such an one to the Lord (Gal. 6:1,2; 1 Cor. 5:5).

In order to restore someone to fellowship with the Lord and with the Lord’s people, the assembly is to take steps of correction depending on the individual case (1 Thess. 5:14, 1 Cor. 5:11, etc.).

It would be impossible to practice this truth of godly care and discipline if a Christian breaks bread with us one Lord’s day, then goes to a denomination or some other group to break bread another Lord’s day, and sometime later comes back to break bread with us.

4. It is the assembly which receives or excommunicates (Matt. 18:15-20). If you feel that you have been led by the Word of God to identify yourself with us in the breaking of bread, then you should express your desire to someone in the assembly. A short time would be allowed for any in the assembly to visit with you. Providing that there is nothing in your life and associations that would prevent you from breaking bread with us, you would gladly be received to break bread with us each Lord’s day. Of course you would also be received to break bread in any of the assemblies associated with us in various places by a letter of commendation (2 Cor. 3:1).

We would ask you to prayerfully search the Scriptures to see if what we have stated above is true. Should you desire, we would be happy too discuss this further with you.

WE’RE GLAD YOU CAME AND TRUST YOU WILL BE BLESSED!

Isaiah 39:1-8

Hezekiah, King of Judah, had been sick. The King of Babylon sent messengers with letters and a gift to Hezekiah by way of sympathy and to congratulate him on his recovery. Hezekiah accepts the gift from the King of Babylon and entertains the messengers on an elaborate scale, taking advantage of the occasion to make a big display before them of all his worldly possessions and riches. He then allows the messengers to depart without so much as mentioning the things of God to them. It was a God-given opportunity for Hezekiah to testify to the goodness of God that might well have led the messengers to trust in the living and true God. But Hezekiah failed to embrace the opportunity so God sent the prophet Isaiah to him with three searching questions that might well be put to every professing Christian today.

To the first question, “WHAT SAID THESE MEN?” Hezekiah made no reply. Well he knew what had been the theme of their conversation. It had been a worldly conversation pure and simple and God had not been brought into it at all. So Hezekiah hung his head in guilty silence.

And how many of God’s people today would bow their heads in shame if their social evenings with the ungodly were interrupted by the searching question, “What manner of communications are these that ye have the one with another?” (Lu. 24:17).

Did you speak to your ungodly friends of their sins and warn them to flee from the wrath to come? Nay, verily!

The second question was: “WHENCE CAME THEY UNTO THEE?” Hezekiah confessed they came from Babylon that typifies this ungodly world in rebellion against God and whose religious systems have captivated the people of God and caused them to put their harps upon the willows (Psalm 137:2). They were representatives sent by Babylon’s king who typifies Satan the god of this world. And they brought a gift with them—as did your worldly friends—another little bit of Babylon to seduce you. Maybe it was the very latest style in Babylonish garments that could in no wise be called “modest apparel”, or perhaps the latest Babylonish novel calculated to inflame the flesh and dethrone the Son of God from your affections.

“WHAT HAVE THEY SEEN IN THINE HOUSE?” Did they see any Gospel texts on your walls, or copies of the Word of God here and there? They did not. As for appropriate Gospel tracts, they were conspicuous by their absence. But in keeping with the occasion the house as far as possible was made to resemble a Babylonish residence just to make your guests “feel at home.” And it was coincidence that a Babylonish magazine was lying here and there!

After all it was a social evening and you justified yourself by saying, “There is a time for everything,” and, “We don’t believe in preaching to people all the time.” So you sang Babylonish songs, played Babylonish games and discussed Babylonish topics. But like Samson of old you “wist not that God’s presence had departed from you” (Judges 16:20).

But what said the Lord to Hezekiah? “Behold the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babylon, nothing shall be left,” said the Lord. “And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget shall they take away: and they shall be enriched in the palace of the King of Babylon” (Isaiah 39:6-7). In other words, all Hezekiah’s possessions would soon be carried to Babylon and his children doomed to become servants to the king of Babylon.

And so with you, dear worldly Christian. Like Lot who pitched his tent towards Sodom, but was soon in it with his family, so you will eventually land in the world and your loved ones will grow up bond-slaves to its King.

Be warned in time and hear the clear call of God. “Come out from among them and be ye separate,” saith the Lord, “and touch not the unclean and I will receive you and will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my sons and daughters,” saith the Lord Almighty (2 Cor. 6:17-18).

—R.T.H.

2 Timothy 3:17

IN THE New Testament “the man of God” supposes one faithful in the service of souls. However, the term is by no means confined to the New Testament, being rather in itself a familiar Old Testament expression. By it we may understand a believer who has the moral courage and the spiritual power to identify himself with the Lord’s interests, and to maintain the good fight of faith in the midst of perils and obstacles of every sort. Such a testimony is incompatible with yielding to human principles and the spirit of the age.

We must not suppose, however, that fidelity in such a day as ours wears an imposing garb. An appearance of strength is out of course when declension has come in and judgment is approaching. God will have a state of ruin felt, and His testimony must be in keeping. When He calls to sackcloth and ashes, He does not give such a character of power as has price in the world’s eyes. Thus one of the truest signs of practical communion with the Lord is that at such a moment one is heartily content to be little. This is reality, but it is only a little strength. It is according to the mind of God.

That which attracts the world must please and pander to the self-importance of man. The world itself is a vain show, and likes its own. Consequently there is nothing which so carries the mass of men along with it as that which flatters the vanity of the human mind. It may assume the lowliest air, but sinful man seeks his own honor and present exaltation. But when a servant of God is thus drawn into the spirit of men, he naturally shrinks back from fairly facing the solemn call of God addressed to His own, loses his bright confidence, and gets either hardened or stands in dread of the judgment of God. When Christians lose the power and reproach of the cross, philanthropy has been taken up which gives influence among men and general activity in what men call doing good replaces the life of faith with the vain hope of staving off the evil day in their time at any rate. One need not deny zeal and earnest pursuit of what is good morally; self denial, too, one sees in spending for purposes religious or benevolent. But the man of God, now that ruin has entered the field of Christ’s profession, is more urgently than ever called to be true to a crucified Christ. As surely as He is soon coming to take us on high, He will in due time appear for the judgment of every high thought and the fairest looking enterprises of men which will all be swallowed up in the yawning gulf of the apostasy.

—W.K.

“Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein” (Jer. 6:16).

In every department of life the spirit of the Age is to leave the old paths and to seek after the new.

In the political sphere, parties which flourished in Victorian days are unrecognisable today, though still bearing the same names. Their ideas, outlook, and methods have changed.

In the realm of science, old ideas are periodically discarded and are made to give place to new discoveries, be they good or otherwise. Not long since, a famous scientist poured scorn upon old fashioned theories, and at the same time practically admitted that fifty years hence present day pronouncements would suffer similarly at the hands of his successors.

In Theological Circles the beliefs of a hundred years ago are declared to be hopelessly out of date, and that which might be expected from secular platforms is given forth from professorial chairs as well as from popular pulpits. The convictions of eminent men of past generations are ridiculed, and “by good words and fair speeches the hearts of the simple are deceived” (Rom 16:17,18).

In religion, the average man or woman may endeavour to tolerate a little, for, say once a week, or, at any rate, for marriages, christenings and funerals. But to go back to the religion of their Grandfathers, emphatically, NO. If some well meaning but ancient person has the temerity to counsel them to “Ask for the old paths, where is the good way,” and to “walk therein,” they unhesitatingly reply, “We will not walk therein.”

In ecclesiastical affairs, times have changed. There is the call everywhere for union. In England various sections of a large Non-conformist body have sunk past differences and have come together. The Establishment speaks about it, and some of its dignitaries say no union will be complete that does not include Rome. In Scotland the historic movement of 1843 has been forgotten. The descendants of those who took part in it are now lost in the Established Church from which their forefathers separated, while those who have refused to follow them are looked down upon, and more or less despised. Amalgamation does not mean union, nor does it contribute to unity. Outwardly it may look all right, inwardly it may produce a state of matters that is not suggestive of that which the Holy Scriptures enjoin, not upon a section, but, upon the whole Church of God, and that consists of every true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.

In Christianity, by which we mean those who definitely profess to be believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, the same, tendency is noticeable. Such are leavened with this craze to leave the old paths and to follow the new. “Our parents were too strict,” say the younger generation, “And we intend to have more liberty ourselves and to see that our children have it.” Some one may suggest, “Our parents seemed to be happy in the path that they followed.” “That may be,” is the rejoinder, “but times have changed, circumstances are different, and ‘We will not walk therein.'” It is open to question whether those who argue thus are more satisfied than were their revered parents, and whether as they grow up their children do so in the fear of the Lord or not.

Among those who claim to be gathered to the Lord’s Name, the same tendency is apparent. This has ever been the enemy’s way of seeking to spoil that which is of God. Let one instance in the Old Testament suffice. When David sought to bring back the Ark, he discarded the old way instituted by Jehovah, and adopted the new method invented in disaster. Happily, he learned his lesson. “We sought Him not after the due order,” said he. He asked for the old paths “and walked therein” (1 Chronicles 13,15), with happy results.

At the beginning of last century some precious truth was recovered to the saints of God. Truth that had long been in the Word of God, but as to which Satan had succeeded in keeping them in darkness. There rang out the cry, “Behold the Bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet Him.” Hearts were stirred; bridal affections were awakened; ties that bound His people to this world were loosened; believers asked for the old paths and sought to walk therein. Their exercise was answered by the opening up to them of the truth of the One Body. They learned that all saints were joined together by an indissoluble bond, that if all the denominations in Christendom were joined together that would come short of the great divine objective, and that all saints were united, not only to each other, but, to Christ the living Head in heaven. They learned, further, that that being so, He must be supreme, and no one should presume to usurp His place when His saints were gathered together in Assembly. In simplicity they took the Lord’s supper; waited upon Him in prayer; those whom He had fitted ministered to His own as led by the Holy Spirit; while the glad tidings were proclaimed at home and abroad, and souls were added to the Lord.

All this involved SEPARATION, an old fashioned word seldom heard now-a-days. The writer is old enough to remember the time when this was not only preached but practised, and results followed. It meant separation from the world socially, politically, religiously, but it was separation to Christ. Separation from would merely produce ascetics; but separation to is the act of those who are devoted and loyal to our Lord Jesus Christ. Such were marked by godliness, devotedness, love and fervour.

These were “the old paths.” Is there not a danger of saying now, “Well of course, these were the old paths, and we quite believe there were good times: those who lived then acted according to their convictions, and no one would question their sincerity. It must be admitted however that times have changed, and that we must adapt ourselves to modern conditions. Business, studies, etc., keep us from getting to weeknight meetings; and then everything is worked at such high pressure, we simply must have some recreation; besides which we cannot afford to appear off. We are usually at the Meetings on the Lord’s Day; we teach in the Sunday School; and we have opportunities for preaching though, there again, we feel that we cannot just follow in the steps of men of past generations. We think they were too straight-laced and narrow-minded. We like to go where we can get good audiences, fine singing, and meetings really attractive.”

Jeremiah was not a popular man; his hearers seemed to think he was voicing his own peculiar views. They became so accustomed to this that, in that which we are now considering, though he prefaced his call with “THUS SAITH THE LORD,” they unhesitatingly answered, “We will not walk therein.” Paul was not a popular man, for all they which were in Asia forsook him, and he was in captivity for the very truth that we have been considering. The road to popularity is to follow our own inclination; the way to secure the approval of the Lord is to ask for the old paths, the good way, and to walk therein.

The Hebrew saints were exhorted:—”Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. Jesus Christ the Same yesterday, and today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:7,8). The truth does not change because He Who is the Truth does not change. Those to whom we have referred, who were the enlightened as to it, have left us a wealth of priceless literature. Are we reading that, or the writings of some who, alas! have, we fear, departed from the truth, and of others whose position is a denial of the truth? Is it not our privilege, yea our responsibility, to store our minds, to feed our souls, to seek to be established in that which our blessed Lord has so graciously given to us in His Word and through His servants?

We appeal to our dear young brethren in particular, heed the Divine call; step out in the path of the Lord’s will. It may mean small numbers, reproach, a more limited scope for service, but it will also mean that you will have Himself, His approval, His smile, His support now, and His “Well done” in a coming day.

We are persuaded that we are in the closing moments of the Church’s history as a responsible witness for Christ upon earth, and that just before He returns, there comes to us this word:—

“Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.”

Shall we say by our acts, if not by our words, “We will not walk therein”? or shall we each, just here and now, bend our knees, close our eyes, and say:

“O Lord, wilt Thou give me grace to walk therein.”

—W. Bramwell Dick

An answer to inquiries received concerning those who are gathered to the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

WE believe in the absolute and perfect inspiration of the Bible; which we hold to be, not in name only, but in reality—the WORD OF GOD.

Having in it the perfect revelation of the mind of God, we refuse all human creeds as being both unnecessary, and a slur upon His Word.

We, however, have no uncertain belief in the doctrines unfolded in the Scriptures—the fall and absolute ruin of man; his guilty, lost and helpless condition; the utter worthlessness of works, lawkeeping or reformation as a GROUND of salvation; the amazing love of God in providing a Saviour in His blessed Son; the spotless perfection of Christ, both in His divine nature and His true humanity; atonement by the blood-shedding of Christ on the cross, by which alone redemption has been accomplished; His resurrection as the proof of God’s acceptance of that atonement.

We also see in Scripture the absolute necessity for new birth by the Holy Spirit, through the Word of God, and of justification by faith alone, without the works of the law.

We see that the believer is warranted to have the fullest assurance of his present and eternal salvation, and that this assurance comes not through feelings or experiences, but by the Word of God.

We also see that being saved by a work once for all, the believer can never be lost, but is as secure as though he were in heaven already—because of Christ’s death and resurrection.

We see, however, that Scripture guards from abuse of this doctrine by insisting upon good works as the fruit of salvation, that the believer is to reckon himself dead to sin, and to live not only a moral life, but one of love and devotedness to Christ and of separation from the ways and thoughts of the world.

We believe that the proper hope of God’s people is not the improvement of the world, but the coming of Christ for His own, to raise the dead in Christ, and change the living, and then take them all out of the world, which He will then purge and cleanse by judgments preparatory to the Millennium, when Israel and the nations of the earth will inhabit it under His rule but His Church will always be a Heavenly company.

We hold that rejecters of the Gospel and all unbelievers will “have their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone,” eternal punishment and not extinction or restoration. We therefore believe in an earnest and affectionate presentation of the simple gospel of the grace of God.

As to Church Government, we refuse, as unscriptural, all denominational names, and all systems of human devising for church order. Believing that the Church is one body, composed of all believers, we refuse to assume any name that is not common to all the people of God.

We see, however, a Scriptural order of meeting, worship and discipline and seek to carry this out.

As to ministry, we refuse all ordination as merely human, but recognize the various gifts which Christ has given for His whole Church.

We believe that when a company of Christians is gathered for worship, there should be no human leader in charge, but that all should be left to the Spirit of God to use whom He may choose, in prayer, praise or exhortation (1 Cor. 14).

We refuse all thought of salary or stipulated remuneration for the preaching of the Word but hold ourselves responsible to minister in temporal affairs to those who give themselves to the Lord’s work.

We take no collections at public meetings, and refuse all help from the world.

We meet in hired halls, or other modest buildings, believing such to be more in accord with the spirit of Christianity.

As to ordinances, we believe in Baptism, and in the Lord’s Supper, which last is celebrated weekly.

—S.R.

Romans 16:15

IN THIS MOST wonderful epistle written by the apostle to the saints at Rome, these words are found, “Salute Philologus.” The epistle itself, the foundation of all the rest, and of the Christian life itself, is worthy of our most careful study unfolding as it does the utter ruin of the human race, and the redemption and full salvation of God, based upon the blood of atonement, and brought to light by the Gospel.

The closing chapter is devoted to commendations, salutations, and personal touches, all beautiful and perfect in their place. “Salute Philologus” is one worthy of note. Nowhere else do we read of this name upon the pages of inspiration. We never read that he was an evangelist, as Philip, nor yet of his pastoral labors, or teaching, as is recorded of Paul Timothy, Apollos and others; nor is he even commended for things noticed of certain others in this chapter. “Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labor in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis, which labored much in the Lord.” “Greet Mary, who bestowed much labor on us,” etc.

There may have been in his case little or no gift, and perhaps not time nor strength to do much in the way of labor; perhaps little seen or known in public, but of all this Scripture says nothing, but simply those words.

One thought looms up before the mind as we meditate upon this part of the inspired Word of God. Is the name the characteristic of the life of this one so worthy of the apostle’s salutation?

If so then we have found the key to a life sweet and precious to God and worthy of a place in the closing part of this epistle; and to those familiar with the Word of God this line of interpretation will not be new, nor yet out of order. Notice this from Genesis 4 down through the inspired word; Eve naming her sons, Cain and Abel; Noah’s birth (Gen. 5:29), Leah’s four sons (Gen. 29:32-35), in fact, the whole family; and again the Spirit’s interpretation of the name of Melchisedec (Heb. 7). Also the frequent changes of names, as from Jacob to Israel, Simon to Peter, Saul to Paul, and Joses to Barnabas. These are incidents true and divine in this line and order. But now, to return, if the name gives us a clue to this case, there was abundant reason why the apostle caused it to be placed upon the divine record, “Salute Philologus”—a lover of the Word—for so is his name by interpretation.

What a lesson this name has in it for us—the true secret of the Christian life, progress, and usefulness, the secret of true greatness before God. This epistle Paul had sent to Rome, and it was written by inspiration. Did not the apostle desire all the saints to read it and meditate upon the wondrous and precious themes therein given? Surely this was the apostle’s desire for the saints in that large city. Hence Philologus would be a pattern in this respect, and the mention of his name might inspire all to the same diligence and love for divine truth, “a lover of the Word.”

Beloved, let us, one and all, more truly answer to this name. These days are dark, evil is on the increase, lack of confidence is felt everywhere, and neglect of the Word of God is generally prevalent among the saints.

May we have a reviving everywhere, and true, hearty interest in the study of the Word of God. It is written of one, “I have esteemed the words of His mouth more than my necessary food” (Job 23:12). And again, still later, “I rejoiced at Thy Word as one that findeth great spoil. Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold” (Psalm 119:162,127).

Again, “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart” (Jer. 15:16). These also were true Philologuses in their day and time, and we do well to draw near, and as the heart warms in communion with the Father and the Son, love for the Word will revive. The range is large, the fields are immense, the mines are rich and full of heavenly ore, and yet many of the people of God are passing over and by, and gather little or nothing. Reading a few verses, or a chapter now and then, good and right in its place, will not give us this Philologus character. Rather, we must “As newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the Word” (1 Peter 2:2). “If thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; then shalt thou understand the gear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God” (Prov. 2:1-5). Then the Book will not appear dry, and hours spent therein will not grow dreary.

We may be dumb and have no utterance; deaf and hear little oral ministry; yet there lies before us the precious Word of God, and if we are never commended, or rewarded for preaching or teaching, will it be said at the end that we have been lovers of the Word?

Phildelphia (Rev 3:7) is a name akin to Philologus, and one of the things said to Philadelphia is, “Thou hast kept My Word.” Herein lies the secret of all spiritual power. How refreshing, in a day like this, when higher critics are doing their best to awaken and overthrow confidence in the Word, and again Satan in other ways draws away the hearts of men by love of pleasure, love of wealth, love for the Word of God, those who abide fast by it.

Search it! and love—beyond rubies or fine gold—the precious things written therein. Of such we can truly say, The Lord increase their number, and to such we can yet write, “Salute Philologus.

—A.E.B.

In these “last days” when “the wolf (the Devil) scattereth the sheep” and when there is such a multitude of denominations, gatherings and independent groups, it has become a great difficulty to discern a Scriptural gathering of Christians. Therefore each believer should the more earnestly desire Divine guidance in this matter.

Three things will be necessary for one to receive such guidance.

1. Be willing to yield to Divine guidance. “If any man will do His will, he shall know the doctrine, whether it be of God” (John 7:17). If one is willing to obey Divine guidance, no matter what the cost may be, God will direct him.

2. Study the Word. Many are blindly following their traditions, ancestors or relatives. But those who seek a scriptural gathering must first know what the Scriptures teach concerning the gathering together of Christians. Read the Word carefully and prayerfully so that you will know you are obeying God’s Word in this important matter.

3. Submit to the Guidance of the Spirit of God. “When He the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). The truth of the church is of the highest spiritual character; it is a “great mystery” and therefore it can never be understood by natural arguments. The Spirit of God is alone able to reveal the true teaching of the Word of God on this subject.

In God’s Word we find both doctrine and practice. In the matter of doctrine, the Bible is insistent, while in the matter of practice, we find constant evidences of the Lord’s lingering grace as He seeks to correct the wrong practices of His people. Therefore let us (1) INSIST upon Scriptural principles and (2) DESIRE to promote Scriptural practices.

(It is to be remembered that any apostate sect, such as the Russellites, the Adventists, the Mormons, the Modernists, etc., is to be considered antichristian, though they pretend to be Christian, even adding that word in denominating themselves, as “Christian Scientists,” “Christian Adventists,” etc. Denying the person of Christ, the work of Christ, or the words of Christ, they are antichristian, and a true believer should shun them as devilish.)

I will suggest four Scriptural principles which should be insisted upon.

First—The gathering should recognize the LORDSHIP AND HEADSHIP OF CHRIST over the church. The church belongs to Christ, being “purchased by His Own blood” (Acts 20:28; Eph. 5:25,27). He is the Head of the Church (Eph. 1:22,23; Col. 1:18) and the church is to be subject to Him (Eph. 5:24). A Scriptural gathering of Christians will never permit a pope, bishop council, conference or clergyman to rule over them and thus rob Christ of His Headship over His church. Such a gathering will gather together in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ alone, according to Matt. 18:20. They will not meet as Lutherans, Calvinists, Wesleyans or Baptists, or as followers of any other human leader or name, but giving Christ His place as head over His church, they will meet as Christians in the Name of their one Head, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Second—The gathering will recognize the ABSOLUTE AUTHORITY OF THE WORD OF GOD. Before the New Testament was written, the Lord vested authority in the apostles, but since the completion of the New Testament and the death of the apostles, entire authority is vested in God’s Word alone. A Scriptural gathering of Christians will ignore all creeds, regarding them as unnecessary and dangerous (Mark 7:7-13). They will test everything by the Word of God, believing it to be sufficient as it is, without amendment or substitute (2 Tim. 2:16,17).

Third—The gathering will be SUBJECT TO THE LEADERSHIP OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. When Christ ascended to heaven, He sent the Spirit of God to take control of His people. The Spirit enables us to worship, and He is to lead the church in worship (Phil. 3:4; 2 Cor. 3:17,18). He creates and preserves the unity of the church (Eph. 2:22; 4:3). He gives and preserves the unity of the church (Eph. 2:22; 4:3). He gives the gifts and is to control their ministry (1 Cor. 12:4,11). He is to control in service, sending missionaries and directing the Lord’s servants (Acts 13:4; 16:6,7). In brief, He is to lead and control the gathering in their worship, prayer, ministry, service, etc. A gathering that is subject to the leadership of the Spirit will not tolerate the system of “clergy and laity,” nor will a clergyman or any one man be permitted to usurp the leadership of the Holy Spirit by administering the Lord’s supper” or by “leading the prayer meeting,” etc. Instead they will hold to the truth of the priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:5) and will gather for worship, prayer and edification with one Leader, the Holy Spirit, and as He leads, so they will participate.

Fourth—The gathering will meet as fellow members of THE ONE BODY OF CHRIST (1 Cor. 12:12-27). They will believe in the one church over the whole world and that every believer is put into that church, the body of Christ, by the Holy Spirit. In their local gathering they will hold to this as did the Corinthian gathering (1 Cor. 1:2; 10:16,17). Therefore they shall never organize together, but they shall “assemble together” according to Heb. 10:25. They shall regard one another (every one saved) as brethren and sisters in Christ, and count membership in His Body the only membership to be acknowledged. With this they shall be very careful to keep from the Lord’s supper all unsaved persons, those not living a godly life, and those associated with doctrinal and moral evil.

The word “church” is translated from the Greek word “Ecclesia” which means “that which is called out.” The church is to be separated from the world (John 17:14,16). The recognition of the headship of Christ, the authority of the Word of God, the leadership of the Holy Spirit and the brotherhood of all believers, will put us in a gathering that will not have one thing in common with the world and we shall find such a gathering far different from the immense organizations where the worldly-wise control.

Where these four great principles are set forth and help, there you will find a Scriptural gathering of the Lord’s people—an assembly of believers that is a testimony to the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Thess. 1:12; 2:1) and with them you should assemble in obedience to Heb. 10:25. If that gathering be but the “two or three,” let your lot be cast in with them. As you thus gather with them you may find some unscriptural practices that will need the correction of the Word of God, even as was found in the “Church of God at Corinth” (1 Cor. 6). If you are looking for perfection of practices, you cannot find it in one single Christian, so certainly do not expect to find it in a gathering of many Christians. Finally, INSIST on Scriptural principles and DESIRE to promote Scriptural practices. Stand with those who adhere to Scriptural principles and seek to help them into a fuller conformity to Scriptural practices.

—D.B.

TEN POINTS AS TO PERSONS GATHERED ON THE GROUND OF GOD’S ASSEMBLY …

1. Consist of believers only (1 Cor. 1:2);

2. Permit the free action of the Holy Spirit when gathered as an assembly (1 Cor. 14). This would certainly be impossible if an individual or any number of individuals presided there;

3. Are gathered on the Lord’s day to break bread, thus showing the “Lord’s death till He come”; remembering Him and manifesting the ONENESS of the body in the one unbroken loaf (1 Cor. 11:23-26; 10:16, 17; Acts 20:7; John 20:19; Luke 24);

4. Are guided by the Word of God only;

5. Are gathered to the Name of the Lord Jesus, as they would be to His person if He were in the world (Matt. 18:20); refusing every other name as sectarian;

6. Carefully exclude moral evils (as 1 Cor. 5), and doctrinal evils (1 Tim. 6:3-5; 2 John 1:9-11), and those in association with them, knowing that “a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump” (1 Cor. 5:6; Gal. 5:9), and “evil communications [or, associations] corrupt good manners” (1 Cor. 15:33);

7. Mourn over the present ruinous condition of the Church testimony with large-heartedness towards all Christians, but stand apart in separation from what the Word condemns, and seek to “follow righteousness, faith, [love], peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (2 Tim. 2:19-22); own God’s “within and without” (1 Cor. 5:12), but they never imagine themselves to be THE body to the exclusion of other believers;

8. Own the unity of the gatherings of God’s saints, and recognize the discipline of each other, believing that, apart from the necessary separation from what the Word condemns, only distance should separate the people of God (1 Cor. 1:2; 7:17; 11:16; 14:33);

9. Own God’s ministry in evangelists, pastors, and teachers raised up by GOD, and approving themselves as such (Eph. 4; 1 Timothy 4:14-16);

10. Own the God-given guides in the local assemblies who seek to bear oversight (1 Thess. 5:12, 13; Hebrews 13:7,17,24; 1 Peter 5:1-3).

THE BODY OF CHRIST AND MEMBERS EACH IN HIS PART

How blessed is the communion of saints! Redeemed from judgment by the precious blood of Christ, and separated from the course of the world, theirs is the joy of a common salvation. They are brethren of the same family, for they are children and sons of the same Father. They are “members one of another,” for, being “baptized by one Spirit into one body,” they are alike members of the body of Christ. Hewn out of the quarry of the old and ruined creation, and quickened by the voice of the Son of God, they are living stones of the same “holy temple,” which is “builded together for AN HABITATION OF GOD through the Spirit.”

Sealed by the Holy Ghost they are brought by the same Spirit into fellowship with the Father and the Son, and also into fellowship one with another. Receiving grace upon grace out of “the fulness” which is in Christ, their hearts are filled with joy; they overflow with love, and break forth in united praise. Thus the communion of saints on earth is a real anticipation of the blessedness of heaven.

Their joys are doubled by being shared; their sorrows lessened by being divided. According to the divine standard, whatever each has, he has for all; and whatever all are possessed of, is possessed for each. Each has a part in the enjoyment of all. One with each other, and joint-heirs with Christ in His inheritance, it is truly said of them “all things are yours.” Incorporated into the “one body,” and animated by “one Spirit,” they are bound together by the sympathies of that one living Spirit. One, therefore, prays for all, and all for one. The whole body is nourished by that which each member, each joint, supplieth “for the edifying of itself in love.” There is no place for haughtiness or personal strife among saints; for why should I envy that which is my own? Why should I despise that which serves for my necessary assistance? And why should I strive against and harm him whose hurt is my own hurt? Is there any strife between the members of the natural body? By no means; they all serve and assist one another. If one be injured and suffer, all the rest sympathize with it, and lend relief, and are neither tried nor angry if the healing doesn’t immediately follow. So should it be with members of Christ’s spiritual body; each seeking to be the servant of all, and like his Master, to take the lowest place.

O Lord, unite thus Thy saints in hearty fellowship, and in tender sympathy for each other. Remove dissensions, and, by Thy Spirit, knit our hearts together in love. Suffer not the spirit of the world or party spirit to influence the members of Thy body; but grant us to be clothed with humility. Let the joy of each be in the prosperity of all. Make us more like Thyself, and so happy in Thyself, that we may love each other unfeignedly for Thy sake. Then, indeed, shall it be manifested that we are thine.

—Selected

As an elder I am venturing to address a word of exhortation to my young brethren; addressing specially those of you who find your place in assemblies of the Lord’s people gathered unto His name, where the direction of the Lord and the guidance of the Holy Spirit is sought in a practical way. In these assemblies the truth of the one body of Christ is happily stressed—the ascended Christ in glory the Head of the body; the Lord’s people, the members of that one body, through whom the life of our Lord is to be perpetuated on earth; the Holy Spirit indwelling believers, uniting them to the Head in heaven, and to each other on earth in a most blessed and wonderful way.

When we gather to remember the Lord in His death, or in other meetings of an assembly character, such as prayer meetings it is noticeable that active part in these meetings is so often left to the elder brethren. It is well indeed that elder brethren should be recognized, if they have maturity and experience in the things of the Lord. Such are presented in Scripture as “guides” (Hebrews 13:7), and exhorted to be “ensamples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:3). Such are worthy to be esteemed.

On the other hand we have to beware of clericalism, the bane of the professing church of God. It was an evil day when a sacerdotal (priestly) class was recognized, and Christians outside that caste (group of special distinction) were called “the laity,” and not expected to take audible part in the worship. In this way the priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:5) was practically denied.

Scripture very plainly teaches that the Holy Spirit is free to lead in praise, worship, or prayer, any brother, who is present. I once heard it said that every brother has a right to take part in assembly meetings. I ventured to dissent from this, and pointed out that no brother has a right to take part, but it is his privilege to do so as led of the Spirit of God.

Alas! is it not true that it never enters the mind of many a young brother that this privilege is theirs, and consequently there is no exercise of heart as to placing themselves in the hands of the Spirit of God for His direction? It is sad indeed to be in an assembly meeting when the pauses are dreary and long, and those taking part are all elder brethren, while the young brethren sit in silence with no thought that the Spirit of God might lead them as the mouthpiece of the assembly in praise, worship and prayer. It is true that many assemblies are small and isolated. It is wonderful how year after year they carry on; a tribute to the sustaining power of the Spirit of God, in spite of the feeble condition of things.

We are surely living in Laodicean days, characterized by profession neither hot nor cold, not absolutely dead, and certainly not fervent in spirit. If this article stirs up any young brother to prayerful exercise in this matter, it will be well worth the writing these few lines.

Reverting to assemblies small in numbers with few brothers present, the writer remembers when he was young that it was pointed out that the smaller the meeting the more important each brother became. If it were an assembly of one hundred persons, the brother would be one percent of the whole; if the meeting consisted of ten individuals, he would be ten percent. If he were meeting with a single individual he would be fifty percent, and so important that, if he failed to attend, the meeting could not be held at all. To such small meetings how cheering are the words of our Lord, “Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). How wonderful it is that we have such a cheering assurance from the lips of our Lord Himself. Where realized, what a wonderful character it would give to the gatherings unto His name.

When a young brother is led of the Spirit to take part in an assembly meeting, all who are spiritual will recognize that it is so, and rejoice, and none more so than the elder brethren. There is nothing more offensive than a forward young brother, who will insist upon taking part, when it is very apparent that he has the spirit of Diotrephes, of whom it was said, that he loved to have the pre-eminence among the saints (3 John 9).

Now a word to the young sisters. They are just as much an integral part of the assembly as the young brothers, and just as much priests unto God the Father. Yet Scripture for its own wise purpose bids them to be silent in assembly meetings. But how helpful and sweet it is when an assembly has among it earnest, devoted sisters who are exercised before God as to the meetings, so that their exercises may often put a brother upon his feet to give utterance to what is passing in their minds. The presence of the sisters as exercised members of the assembly is a great cheer and encouragement to the brothers, and to none more than the older brethren.

Some may feel there is little or no young society in an assembly, or may feel the pull of counter attractions, such as large numbers, agreeable society, good singing, and the like, and so may wander away from the assembly. May this article stir our young brethren to give their interest and energy to the welfare and worship of the assembly. Then they themselves may develop in due time into elder brethren, “guides,” “ensamples to the flock.”

It is very evident, that the old brethren, if the Lord tarry, will pass off the scene one by one, and if the young ones do not develop, then weakness increases. The Lord lead us all, brother and sister, young and old, to give the Lord what is His due and to “continue stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42).

—A.J. Pollock

WHAT can be happier than a Christian home, where the Lord is known, loved and obeyed? There is light in the dwelling—the light of heaven. It is a profitable study to go through the Scriptures and see God’s thoughts as to the family. We find that His grace reaches out to all members of the household, is offered to all. “Come thou and all thy house into the ark.” “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house” (Gen. 7:1; Acts 16:31).

We also find that His claims for obedience are upon the entire family, and the parents are responsible to bring up the children in the “nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). A man’s faithfulness is shown by the order he maintains in the house. “I know him that he will command his children and his household after him” (Gen. 18:19; 1 Tim. 3:4).

Nor does this mean that gloom and sadness will pervade the home, but exactly the reverse. God’s own joy and light, where He is known in grace, will fill each heart, so that even the little ones will share in it. Home thus becomes the most attractive of all places, the happy asylum from the worry and care of business, the nursery for the tender little ones, and the busy beehive of Christian industry. May our God make more such homes.

—S.R.

A Word to Young Workers

If I had the ear of my younger brethren in Christ who seek to serve their gracious Master in the ministry of the Word, in Sunday school work, in street preaching, in tract distribution, or any other form of Christian labor, I would say to them in deep affection, See to it that your service is the outcome of communion with Christ. Rivers of living water can only flow from those who go unto Him and drink, and you must go continually. Be careful to allow nothing to hinder your enjoyment of divine love, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. Seek to realize for yourselves the exceeding preciousness of Christ, so that when you speak of Him it may be out of the fulness of a heart made abundantly happy. It is true the outward form of service may be sustained by the mere energy of nature apart from communion with Christ, but then every element will be lacking that makes the service acceptable to Him and your own souls will be powerless and become like withered grass.

I would further say, Be on your guard against making service your one object. They seldom serve well who do. We have known earnest men who have fallen into this snare. They are never satisfied unless always on the move, and they think little of others who follow not in their steps. Now Martha served much and found fault with one who seemed to serve less, yet the latter received the Lord’s commendation and Martha missed it. There is a zeal that compasses sea and land, but it is not fed from celestial fires. There is a running to and fro with restless feet and a doing of this and that which after all may be but the goodliness of the flesh which fadeth away. The Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it and it is gone.

Cultivate communion with God. Be much in prayer and study the Word of God that your own soul may be fed. How shall you feed others else? “It is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? Or saith He it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written.” In thinking of others and laboring for their good, God would have us feed for ourselves. We shall soon famish if we do not and spiritual strength will decline—a keeper of the vineyard of others while our own vineyard will not have been kept.

You will find it a deadening habit to read the Word only to search out something for other people. It is a Gibeonitish service (Joshua 9:21). Moreover, what you gather up and set before others will be mere religious information in which there will be no heavenly unction. It differs from the living ministry of the Holy Ghost as chalk from cheese.

Be faithful also in little things. It may be that God will then entrust you with greater matters. We are a little afraid of those who neglect the commonplace duties of everyday life for what they are pleased to think and call the work of the Lord. At all times do faithfully and well whatever comes to your hand. In a humble school, far removed from public observation, God often trains His servants for their higher mission. Moses was forty years in the backside of the desert keeping the flocks of his father-in-law before he was called to lead out the tribes of Israel from the house of bondage. David, in the wilderness watching over the few sheep of Jesse, was there prepared for his conflict with Goliath in the valley of Elah. The years thus spent were not wasted years. The fruit of them was seen afterwards.

But though I say this, let none hold back from serving Christ under the mistaken plea or inexperience. An infant’s hand may plant the acorn that shall yet become a stately oak. It is no uncommon thing for small beginnings to have endings that are by no means small. What know we of Andrew’s public preaching? Nothing. But it was he who brought his brother Simon to Jesus, and Simon’s ministry we know was blessed to thousands. When John Williams was an apprentice lad a humble Christian woman invited him to go with her and hear the gospel. William went and was converted and afterwards became one of the most famous missionaries whose labors in the South Sea Islands led multitudes to Christ. We may not be able to do much, but let us do what we can. A word fervently spoken, a tract discreetly given may yield abundant fruit if God’s blessing go with it. Be it ours to sow the seed in prayerful hope, for who can tell but what the harvest shall be most abundant. “Withhold not thine hand.” “Freely ye have received, freely give.”

—W. Barkker

The WORD OF GOD says “There is one body” (Eph. 4:4), not two, nor three, but one—only one. That “one body” is the body of Christ (Eph. 1:23); that is, every true Christian is to Christ what a man’s foot, hand, etc., is to that man (1 Cor. 12:12-27). Nowhere in Scripture do we read or find the idea of a Baptist, a Methodist, a Presbyterian, or any other body. The only thing found there is the one body of Christ, formed by the “one Spirit” of God. The relationship therefore of all true Christians is that of fellow-members of the one body of Christ—a divine relationship entered into at conversion by the Spirit’s baptism, and consummated in the glory of heaven to which the Church is destined.

Christians assuming any other relationship than this with one another, associating themselves together on any other principle that this, are therefore sectarian. They form another tie than that which God has formed, and by which He binds all His children of this dispensation together.

But the members of that one body are scattered all over the earth. They cannot assemble together in one place. They therefore assemble in any locality convenient to those who live in that locality. There may be “two or three,” or two or three hundred or thousand; Christ, the Saviour and Head of the Church, has pledged Himself to be present in the midst of them thus assembled (Matt. 18:20). He is their Center of assembling as the Ark was of old the gathering-center of Israel. He is also the attractive Object of all their hearts—every one rejoicing in the presence, to faith, of the Lord Jesus. These local churches, or assemblies, are, of course, even as the persons who compose them, “one body in Christ, and every one members one of another” (Rom. 12:5). If new converts be received in one locality, they are received there on behalf of the whole Church of God universal, and thus introduced into her fellowship—her fellowship, mark, not her membership, for they were already made members by the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Should one move where he is unknown, a letter of commendation gives him full access to all privileges everywhere. If one walks in evil and is put under discipline in one place, he is under discipline in the whole Church universal until he repents.

All these local assemblies are, for their doctrine and their practice, primarily responsible to the Lord, inasmuch as “Christ is the head of the Church” (Eph. 5:23), and should any of them fall into evil doctrine or practice He may visit them with judgment, as in 1 Cor. 11:26-32, or take away its candlestick testimony altogether as threatened in Rev 2:5. They are also responsible to one another, for all “are members one of another” (Rom. 12:5). No local assembly can act for itself alone. Its actions affect all others, and render thus all others responsible with it. It must therefore, when questioned, be open in the fullest way to investigation, as it is accountable to all the rest. The sense of this responsibility toward one another produces wholesome care in all that is done in each place.

But some one may say, this is all very true, and sound doctrine, and in accord with all Scripture, but Christendom is full of divisions and parties, insubject to each other, which in turn abound with persons who are in nowise subject to Scripture or to the Lord. What then are you going to do? Walk apart from them, and, by scriptural teaching and godly labor after the fashion of the apostles, form a fellowship on the principle of the whole Church of God, to practice among themselves what the whole Church should practice. It may be small and weak, and cause opposition and contempt, as in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah, when they were building afresh upon the old foundations; but it will please God. The mere attempt will please Him. Faithful labor at it He will bless; and when the Lord returns He will manifest that every “living stone” which had been set on the old foundations had been set in a place of special blessing—blessing for eternity.

—P.J.L.

Address Given at Sunday School Conference held at Edinburgh on October 23, 1937.

I HAVE been asked to speak to you tonight about Sunday School work, a work which I trust none present will regard as of little importance or demanding little preparation or forethought.

Only a week or two ago a local Minister came to school to see me and in discussing present day tendencies and the lamentable decline in morality he disclosed that in his opinion the cause lay in the church tackling the social problem. Now I am fully persuaded that immorality is today destroying the vitals of the nation like a canker: that social scourge is much more widespread than most here gathered would believe: that to be indifferent to the social, national, and international problems perplexing the world is criminal, but I am equally persuaded of the futility of the servant of the Lord attempting to deal with these with humanly devised weapons. Let the preacher of the gospel seek the spiritual blessing of the individual: let the teacher of the young seek to gain the citadel of the heart, and by the regeneration of the individual will the home, social, aye and the national life be sweetened.

Shrewd men of the world have seen what many a professed servant of the Lord has missed. I am quoting now, not from a religious magazine but from a copy of the Wall Street Journal. Some time ago the editor wrote, “The supreme need of the hour is not an elastic currency or sounder banking or better protection against panic or bigger navies, or more equalable tariffs, but a revival of faith, a return to morality which aid recognizes a basis of religion, and the establishment of a workable and working theory of life, that views man as something more than a mere lump of matter.” There it is: by way of faith to morality: and with faith in God and in Christ, we seek the spiritual welfare of the children, which is attended by blessings in this life as well as in that which is to come.

I shall summarize what I have got to say to you under five heads, for convenience arranged under the letters P and M so that should you forget the one you may remember the other. The headings are these:—

1. Our PURPOSE in teaching, or the MEANING of our work.

2. The PSYCHOLOGY or the MIND of the child.

3. A PLAN or MANNER of presentation.

4. A PROGRAM or MESSAGE.

5. The PERSONALITY of the teacher or MYSELF.

Our PURPOSE In Teaching—It seems incredible that any skilled workman should start upon a job without having a clear idea before him of what he intends to accomplish. How can your labors be purposive if the end which you have in view is nebulous? Let me ask you—why of all the books in the world should you teach the Bible to the child?

Ruskin has said that the characteristics of the child are humanity, faith, charity and cheerfulness. The Bible is the book, par excellence, dealing with humanity and among its most prominent themes are these—faith, love or charity, and hope from which is begotten the experience of cheerfulness. The teaching of the Bible, then, is eminently suited to satisfy the desires of the child’s heart but it does more. The Apostle in 2 Timothy 3, speaking by the Spirit of God, places the Word of God alongside the complete development of personality from mere babyhood to complete manhood in the “Man of God, perfectly furnished unto every good work.” Do you know any other such book? It is THE Book which we can never discard, for it is a revelation from God to man, given nowhere else, and the heart of its message is Salvation. To Timothy, Paul writes, “From a child, thou hast known the Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” The Holy writings to which he refers are of course the Old Testament Scriptures, but the Apostle instead of looking upon them as obsolete perceives that they all find their fulfilment in Christ. The highways of the Old Testament converge upon Him, of whom the prophets spake, to whom the types pointed. And if true of the Old Testament Scriptures, how much more true of the completed Book that it contains information, which if acted upon, puts the reader in possession of salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. If you have not got the salvation of the child before you in teaching him, you are missing the mark. This salvation is something grander than deliverance from judgment and hell. It is that, but it is more. It postulates danger and promises safety; it supposes weakness and offers strength; it takes conflict for granted but assures of ultimate victory. The salvation begins in time but endures to eternity and embraces the whole nature of man—body, soul and spirit.

For his instruction, Timothy, who was the child of a mixed marriage, was indebted to his mother Eunice and to his grandmother Lois. Happy they who have imbibed instruction in the things of God at the mother’s knee!

But someone may ask, Is salvation then merely a matter of belief? A short time ago while in conversation with a friend for whose intellectual gifts I have the highest respect, he remarked, “Faith seems very easy for some men, but faith for me seems impossible.” In answer to which I said, trying to be helpful, “I don’t see why it should be so. We have to exercise faith in one another day by day. The man of business has to exercise faith in his fellow man of business. The husband exercises faith in the wife, and the wife in the husband, and all that God demands is that faith should be given a different orientation and be exercised towards Himself.” His answer rather astonished me. “Hold on,” said he. “Faith in God and in Christ demands the compete surrender of my personality.” He was right. It is not merely an intellectual conviction but it is the surrender of the will consequent upon conviction.

I am not for a moment going to suggest that week by week we should ask the children “Are you saved?” “Would you like to be saved?” It is unlikely that if saved, the change in the child will be catastrophic or volcanic. We should be watchful awaiting the right moment for wise private and personal work, but always instructing in the word of righteousness and when in God’s good time the word proves effective we may be sure of this, that even on the part of the child there will be a surrender of will to Him in whom trust is placed.

The PSYCHOLOGY of the Child—A good workman does not only keep in mind what he intends to do: he must also consider the material which he has to work upon. For very much of what I am going to say I am indebted to Dr. Campbell Morgan, and having found him helpful to me in the capacities of teacher and parent, I pass on these thoughts, persuaded that you too will find them useful. The philosopher Kant has said that every human personality has in it three factors, intellect, emotion and volition. From the moment that a child starts to walk, and even before that, these three factors are discernible. Until about seven or eight years of age, however, they appear to be uncoordinated and even inconsistent. It is not merely that they are unequally balance, as indeed they are, but the child is the plaything of whims—intellectual, emotional, and volitional, its physical unrest being but the outward manifestation of inward mental change. Dr. Campbell Morgan illustrates the inconsistency of these factors in the child’s personality by an interesting story which the experience of all will confirm as true to type. Gladys was the seven-year-old daughter of a friend of his. One afternoon the mother left home for a few hours and committed Gladys to the care of her uncle, a bachelor and a tutor of one of the English Universities. To fulfil his promise to care for Gladys he took his chair and books into the garden. Before long Gladys came to him with this question, her eyes dilated with interest. “Uncle, can you tell me why is this rose red and its leaf green?” Charmed at the intelligent thought behind the question and delighted to be asked a question along the line of his own specialization, he replied, “Yes, my dear, sit down beside me and I shall tell you.” Yet as he prepared to answer her, he perceived that the look of intelligent inquiry had passed and had given place to suppressed mirth and pent-up laughter. Rather annoyed at the sudden change, he said somewhat sharply, “Gladys, what are you laughing at?” “I’m sorry Uncle,” was the reply, “but I really cannot help it. You have such a funny nose!” And as he prepared to rebuke her, she jumped from his side, attracted by something else in the garden, doubtless, and so escaped the reprimand he was preparing to give her. Suddenly, intelligence had given place to emotion, and emotion to volition. These are precisely the varying mental conditions with which the teacher of infants has to deal. This period is probably characteristically the perceptive age when much can be achieved by pictorial representation.

From seven or eight years of age until about the age of twelve, intellect and emotion are very much in evidence, but volition is usually in the background. Children are pliable and the period might be designated the receptive period. This is the period during which difficult tables, new processes, and many facts are acquired at school without demur and the time too when much valuable ground-work is done at Sunday School.

Round about the age of twelve, however, a change takes place of paramount interest and importance to the teacher, and it is important that the teacher should recognize it and understand how to deal with it. From twelve to seventeen or eighteen years is the most difficult period in the development of a boy or girl. This is the time when we either gain or lose them. Indeed Dr. Campbell Morgan avers that he cannot contemplate this period in a child’s life without a feeling of extreme solemnity possessing him. For now intellect and emotion become recessive. The child does not usually continue to ask questions nor does he readily or willingly display his feelings. But at this stage volition dominates his personality. The child discovers that he has a will and the period might often be characterized as the obstructive period. When travelling from Wales to London in 1918, two of His Majesty’s officers and a civilian, the three of them friends, entered the compartment in which Dr. Campbell Morgan sat. He was the outsider, but as the compartment was small he could not fail to hear their conversation. The subject of talk turned to boys and the reverend gentlemen pricked up his ears. Said the civilian “I do not know what has come over my boy recently. Until a few months ago he was as nice a boy as you could meet, pliable and obliging, but now he has become a mule. But I will break his will.” Unable to keep silence, the doctor looked up and interrupted saying, “Excuse me, sir, but what was that you said you would do to your boy?” Surprised at him participating in the conversation without introduction or invitation he replied “I said, I will break his will.” “Then,” answered the other, “I trust that by the grace of God someone will break your neck before you succeed.” The look of utter amazement on the face of the civilian he can never forget as he said “I beg your pardon.” To which Dr. Morgan answered, “In the words of the King, whose uniform I wear—it were better for you that a millstone were hanged about your neck and that you should be drowned in the depth of the sea than that you should offend one of these little ones.” To his inquiry “What then should I do?” Dr. Morgan explained that when this obstinate, obstructive, mulish age was reached, the only thing to do was to cease commanding and to start communing. Now make no mistake about this. In every well regulated home or school there are certain essential amenities and rules that must be observed. But outside of these fundamental and essential things, and especially where the personal interests of the youth are concerned, in fellowship and understanding seek to guide him. If in spite of such help and guidance he chooses his own way, well, let him have it assuring him that you are still available for advice and guidance should he desire it. The result is likely to be frankness and confidence that in 90 per cent of the cases will gain the child.

Usually about seventeen or eighteen years of age the various factors in personality become coordinated. If the mind has been illuminated by the Word of God, the emotions controlled by Christ as Lord, and the will made subject to the will of God, then shall we have a fit instrument for the service of Christ. But if the mind is darkened, the emotions debased, and the will undisciplined, then has the child become a fit tool for the devil.

A PLAN of Presentation—These considerations suggest a plan or manner of presentation of truth to the child.

At the infant stage, seek by the aid of picture and spiritual song and through the short and finished stories of the Gospels to store the mind with facts concerning the life and work of Christ.

At the receptive stage from seven to twelve years of age, the child delights in the story, which is to be continued, and the delightful narratives of the Old Testament covering the lives of the patriarchs and abounding in excellent moral precepts; manifesting the marvellous providential dealings of God and exhibiting the nature of poetic retribution, supply delightful material.

A PROGRAM—It will thus emerge that the program or message taken over the entire Sunday School period should aim at embracing the whole book and as was emphasized at the very outset the goal in view must be, by the grace of God, the salvation—body, soul and spirit of the child.

The PERSONALITY of the Teacher—And now lastly, there is the personality of the teacher, or myself; next to the Spirit of God acting through the Word of God, the most important factor in the work of teaching. Is someone saying, “I have no personality?” Then may God help you! for without it you will never teach. Ask the Lord to give you some! Can you imagine a person indwelt by the Holy Ghost and yet wholly lacking in personality? What does it mean? It means among other things that you will be yourself—not altogether like anyone else. It means in divine things, that you will be a power for God. It means that people will listen to what you say and respect both that and you. It means that there will be the manifestation in life of those truths that you profess. And let us all remember this, that Christianity is a life rather than a philosophy.

May the Lord help us to express Christ in our living and in our teaching. May we seek to understand and win them having nothing less in view than their salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

—R. McCallum

“With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2).

SURELY there was great need that the prisoner of the Lord should put these qualities first, before those whom he besought “to walk worthy” of their vocation, and to “keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Can any say it is a distinguishing feature amongst us now? Are we to whom the third verse is so precious ignoring the force of the second? Is there not a quiet self-assertion, a tone of superiority often shown in speaking to other Christians, that only betrays to them, and to our Lord, how far we are in heart from the spirit of the apostle. We find that his ministry (who was gifted and honored above all others,) was marked by “humility of mind” (Acts 20:19). Is ours?

We find the Lord was “lowly in heart.”

He “humbled Himself.” Is “this mind” in us? Have we put on “as the elect of God, humbleness of mind”?

Are we all of us “clothed with humility”?

It is greatly to be feared that such a spirit, such a state, is becoming rare amongst us. Time was, when the ruin of all was so felt, that our only position was in the dust. But the truth of the “One Body,” accepted in the head instead of searching the conscience, has “puffed up” instead of humbling those who thus hold it. How painful must it be to Christ, who loves and yearns over His whole Church, that those whom, in His grace, He has called around Himself to feel and own its utter ruin on earth, should sometimes carry a high head, a self-satisfied air, and be “exalted” by the very greatness of His love. Is not this indeed in principle the Laodicean brand?

May God give us to shun and dread spiritual pride (that subtile vice) in every shape and form, and enable us to show true brokenness of spirit, that His dear children around may see that there is a little company in their midst whose hearts deeply feel the ruin of all dear to Christ in this scene.

Surely, beloved brethren, He is allowing things to take such a course, even in our midst, that we have nothing left but shame and confusion of face, our only relief being to look upon His glory, that which nothing shall ever dim or mar.

The more Thy glories strike mine eyes,
The humbler I shall lie;
Thus while I sink, my joys shall rise
Immeasurably high.

QUESTION: Is it more scriptural to use unleavened bread at the Lord’s Supper since leaven in Scripture always typifies sin?

ANSWER: No. The Lord’s Supper was instituted at the close of the Passover feast. Therefore, we could assume that the Lord used the type of bread which was readily available. By necessity, this would have been unleavened bread, the only bread allowed at the Passover feast (Exodus 12:15). However, this fact does not justify the sole use of unleavened bread, the only bread allowed at the Passover feast (Exodus 12:15). The following two reasons explain why it is not more scriptural to use unleavened bread at the Lord’s Supper.

1. We find that two different Greek words are used for bread in the New Testament—artos and azumos. Artos signifies (1) a small loaf or cake composed of flour and water, baked in an oblong or round shape and about as thick as the thumb. Artos means unleavened bread—bread without any process of fermentation. It is used metaphorically of (1) a holy, spiritual condition and of (2) sincerity and truth (1 Cor. 5:7,8). It is also used when (3) designating the feast of unleavened bread. (Note: The above remarks taken from W.E. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words.)

Whenever the Lord’s Supper (often called the breaking of bread) is mentioned in Scripture, the word artos is used. This even holds true at the institution of the Lord’s Supper given to us in the gospels. (See Matt. 26:26; Mark 14:22; Luke 22:19; Acts 2:42; Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 10:16; 1 Cor. 11:23,26-28). If the Lord intended us to use unleavened bread at the Lord’s Supper, the Holy Spirit would have directed the writers to use the word azumos (unleavened bread) instead of artos (bread) in these verses.

2. In the Old Testament, God’s people were forbidden to eat leavened bread or to have it in their houses during the seven days of the Passover feast (Exodus 12:15). For that period of seven days leaven was used as a type of sin and therefore could not be used or eaten. The unleavened bread typified holiness, sincerity and truth which should ever characterize God’s people (1 Cor. 5:8).

In the New Testament, God’s people are never forbidden to eat leavened bread nor to have leaven in their houses. It is important to see that though the physical use of leaven (or yeast as we would call it today) is never forbidden in the New Testament, yet the spiritual value of leaven as a type of sin remains. (See Matt. 13:33; Luke 12:1; 1 Cor. 5:6-8.) Therefore, when leaven is mentioned in the New Testament, I am reminded of the spiritual lessons in leaven as a type of sin but never of the physical prohibitions connected with its use in the Old Testament. I quote from one who has made the following observation about types. “There is a general principle relating to Biblical Typology: what was once typical as to its literal usage retains its spiritual value as a type when the literal usage as a type has passed away with the legal system.”

As a reminder, would add that in the Lord’s Supper the Lord has directed our hearts not to the bread’s composition—leavened or unleavened; nor to its color—dark or white; nor to it’s shape—oblong, round or square, but to what the bread symbolizes—”This is My body which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.” We can thank Him that His precious body was and is sinless and holy. It is not, however, the physical composition of the bread that would remind us of that blessed truth but the Scriptures themselves!

QUESTION: Does Scripture teach that grape juice rather than wine is to be used at the Lord’s Supper?

ANSWER: No. We believe that the Scriptures teach that wine rather than grape juice was used at the Lord’s Supper in New Testament times and so should be used now. Consider the following points:

1. In the New Testament the word “wine” occurs 37 times and in each case means fermented wine. There are two basic Greek words which are translated “wine” in the New Testament. The word oinos occurs 36 times. Oinos is said to come from the Hebrew word yayin which means “fermented.” The other Greek word is gleukos which occurs once. It is translated “new wine” in Acts 2:13. That this wine was intoxicating is evident from the accusation made by the Jews in Acts 2:13,15.

2. It is also clear from 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 that there were some who had come to the Lord’s Supper in a drunken state. The early disciples had what they called a “Love Feast” just prior to the Lord’s Supper. This took the place of the Passover meal. Here, the abuse of wine had led to drunkenness before the Lord’s Supper had taken place. This definitely could not have been true if the Corinthians were using grape juice. Two things to notice here are:

a. It does not seem probable that they would have wine at their Love Feast and grape juice at the Lord’s Supper, and
b. The Holy Spirit through the apostle Paul does not condemn their use of wine but their abuse of it.

3. Nowhere in Scripture do we read about the prohibition of the use of wine. See Proverbs 23:30-32. On the contrary we find in Psalm 104:14,15 that wine (yayin, or fermented wine) is one of the things that God has made to make glad the heart of man. In the Old Testament yayin was used in the drink offerings unto the Lord. See Leviticus 23:13. In the New Testament, bishops (or elders), deacons, and aged women were exhorted not to be given to much wine. See 1 Timothy 3:3,8; Titus 2:3. Timothy was exhorted to use a little wine for his stomach’s sake and frequent infirmities (1 Timothy 5:23). The abuse of wine does not make wine evil. Similarly, the love of money does not make money evil. Adultery and fornication do not make the sexual relationship in marriage evil. It is the abuse of God-given things which is evil and not the things themselves.

4. From reliable sources we find that wine, not grape juice was used at the Passover supper. Mosheim’s Ecclesastical History, A.D. 1694, says: “The Passover is celebrated with bread and wine. The bread is broken after thanks and passed among them. Four cups of wine are required at this feast.” Another historian, Dr. Edersheim, writes in his book, The Temple, Its Ministry and Services as they were at the Time of Christ: “The use of wine in the Paschal Supper, though not mentioned in the Law, was strictly enjoined by tradition. According to the Jerusalem Talmud, it was intended to express Israel’s joy on the Paschal night, and even the poorest must have ‘at least four cups, though he were to receive the money for it from the poor’s box.'” From the above it seems unreasonable to say that the Lord Jesus used wine at the Passover Supper and then chose grape juice for the institution of the Lord’s Supper. Some have claimed, since the Lord Jesus used the words “fruit of the vine” instead of “wine” when instituting the Lord’s Supper, that grape juice must be used. However, both wine and grape juice are the fruit of the vine.

The above facts would lead us to believe that fermented wine was used by the Lord Jesus when instituting the Lord’s Supper. It also leads us to believe that the early Church used fermented wine at the Lord’s Supper. Grape juice does not seem to have been used until the Temperance societies came into existence in the late 1800’s. The main objection raised regarding the use of wine at the Lord’s Supper is that it will expose to continued temptation those who have a craving for strong drink or who formerly were alcoholics. Scripture would reply to this objection that the boundless grace of God which has saved one from a life of sin is fully able to keep one from the power of sin including the sin of drunkenness (Jude 24).

—John D. McNeil

“A time to love and a time to hate” (Eccles. 3:8).

“He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal” (John 12:25).

COMPROMISE here has ruined the testimony of many. They once made a fair start, but the fear of man or the love of ease or of social standing or of the approval of kindred or acquaintances has come between them and the Lord. It is a poor exchange, but many a one has made it, and adhered to it to the end. It should break our hearts as we think of it, and make us hate the thought of compromise.

Let us trace the way of departure. Family influence is in opposition. Simplicity and faithfulness to Christ are derided, a name or reproach is given to true Christians; and the soul, because not abiding in Christ, is caught in the snare. Fearful of reproach or discomfort, the soul gives way and steers a middle course henceforth. Men call it moderation and wisdom, but the soul has been damaged and is adrift. God is merciful, but the Word and communion with God and with His people are less and less enjoyed, and trials and chastenings are too much for the heart. The peaceable fruits of righteousness do not follow. A sad witness for Christ! Such bear witness in their family and in the world that godliness is but a name, not a reality; or if not altogether so, still the course is vacillating and the heart not at rest, and the testimony correspondingly marred.

The fear of man is, however, closely connected with our love of the world in some form. We are unweaned in some way when the fear of God is displaced by the fear of man and Satan has power with us. The pride of life—how weak our hearts that it should ever ensnare us! Ought not a glance at the life of the Lord make us ashamed? What pure joy is lost by love of social standing; how withering to the soul is such a preference and such an atmosphere. Self-love and idolatry are thrusting Christ from the heart. In such cases there is also this grave danger—that of the hardening of the heart by the continuance of religious forms and outward service and utterances. But either way the soul has made an evil choice, and has turned from the narrow way. Jesus is still knocking at the door, standing there, but He has been left outside—abandoned for Herod’s feast. Friendship with the world is enmity against God.

Commonly in the Church today members of a family who are Christians are so in accord with the world that their witness gives little or no trouble to those of the same house who make no profession of faith. Indeed, a plain witness for God these Christians would themselves oppose, as the men of Judah opposed Samson for fear of the Philistines—”Knowest thou not that the Philistines rule over us?” (Judges 15:11). A shameful admission, but a fact.

But this peace with the world is not Christianity. “Think not I am come to send peace on earth. I came not to send peace, but a sword.” Therefore, the trouble Samson made was of the same kind the Lord Himself made in this world, and that every faithful Christian makes wherever found. “For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me, and he that loveth son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he that taketh not his cross and followeth after Me is not worthy of Me. He that findeth his life shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for My sake shall find it” (Matthew 10:34-39).

Christian, let no one come between the soul and Christ, and let nothing turn you aside from the cross. Christ has redeemed you by His blood, and has given you the Holy Spirit. By this great redemption you are separated to God from all worldly friendships and alliances and purposes. Christ has joined you to Himself forever, and He has joined you to His people; for we are members of His Body and members one of another. His sheep can never perish (John 10:27,28). Let that encourage the heart to rise up and follow Him. He loves His own and loves them to the end (John 13:1). Hence He washes their feet, cleanses away defilements; for if He washes us not we have no part with Him. So He restores our souls, never forsaking us.

Let us flee, then, from half-heartedness and world-bordering and compromise, in the family, in business, in the inward exercises of the soul. As Christ has died for us, let us live for Him (2 Cor. 5:15), and we shall realize the word, “If God be for us, who can be against us?” “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine or nakedness, or peril, or sword? … Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.” In all these things. In the midst of your fiery trials, Christian, “more than conquerors” through Him who loves you. With such a word, may we let go all carnal seeking and carnal shrinking, and go forth upon the water to Him. Go forth to Him without the camp, hearing His reproach. Let us boldly take faith’s reckoning from Rom. 8:18: “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us.”

“By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went … Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceiver seed. … Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude and as the sand which is by the seashore innumerable. These all … confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country; and truly if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly; wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He hath prepared for them a city” (Hebrews 11:8-16).

—E.S.L.

NOTHING perhaps presses itself more upon the Christian parents. We are living in “perilous times.” Many Christians do not realize this enough. Apostasy in a multitude of forms is advancing with rapid strides under cover of Christianity, making it more necessary than ever that our children be well instructed in the Word of God. Nothing is so effective for this as the home, where the Christian father daily gathers his household for reading the Word and infusing it into their minds and lives. They may afterward depart from it in practice yet, as a hook in the mouth of the fish, will abide in them, and compel them, sooner or later, to yield to the blessed hand of God. The Sunday School is a blessed adjunct to this. Other witnesses will there add their testimony to that of the home, and we know the power of “two or three witnesses.” Then there are the various meetings of the people of God, where the Scriptures are in constant use. How we should value all these means of instruction, and have our children with us! All this is illustrated in the frequent gatherings and feasts of the people of Israel.

If we think we can do without these helps we will surely find ourselves and our children the losers. “Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His Name” (Mal. 3:16)

We are also living in days of great pride, when not only are men subject to God no more, but are not even subject to rulers, nor to parents—days of socialism and rising anarchy. The more careful therefore should we be to instil obedience in our children’s minds—not tyrannize over them, not “provoke them,” but see to it that they obey, and obey cheerfully. Obedience is the very first principle, and at the root of all godliness. Many think that because we “are not under law, but under grace,” therefore to command and to govern are unworthy of a Christian. It is all wrong. Grace in no way destroys government—government in the assembly or in the family. An assembly without godly government is a ruin, and so also a family. We have seen many a time a row of children sit quietly by their mother through a long meeting without a move from one of them. They were no less active than others when free, but they were under government, and knew where and when to be quiet and reverent. Will this be the exception? or will it be the rule? Beloved fathers and mothers, this will depend on how well we fulfill our responsibilities as such.

How encouraging it is to find in various places that many of the young recruits in the assemblies are from godly families, and from the Sunday Schools! May the Lord increase still the labor and the fruit of both!

—Paul J. Loizeaux

1 Samuel 14

“And Saul answered, … thou shalt surely die, Jonathan” (1 Samuel 14).

Jonathan had vanquished the enemy in the service of God, and had tasted of honey with the blessing of God; but Saul’s decree was disregarded, and he is condemned. It is a solemn example for all time—the disastrous effect of human will thrusting itself in as religious authority between the true servant and God. The Spirit of God has made it very plain for our warning and instruction.

Jonathan is led by the Spirit of God, but Saul’s decree condemns him. But there is more than this—the people rescue Jonathan, manifestly by the good hand of God. “And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid: as the Lord liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not.”

The people had been distressed in seeking to obey the foolish decree—toiling in battle, but unfed. God allows matters to come to a head, and the unrighteousness and folly of the decree is openly manifest when Jonathan must die. True instinct rouses them to indignation, and the misused authority is spurned by the people, as before it had had no control over Jonathan. We must obey God rather than men. It was open resistance to authority, but a resistance approved of God. Submission would have been folly worse than Saul’s.

Such a true instinct in an emergency is noble—it is love, and is of God. To talk of submission and docility at such a time is craven and nerveless, and would simply have left full sway and swing to evil and shame; it is not love, nor the true spirit of subjection, but paralysis and confusion, or a perverted mind.

The lack of a ready instinct to reject evil is a thing to be heartily ashamed of. It is the coldness of a formalist, or a judgment perverted, and God has not His place of authority. What He is—light and love—is not apprehended in governing power over the soul for the time being. The senses are not exercised to discern good and evil. Then evil triumphs, and God is dishonored. This is Satan’s victory—the success of his wiles.

Note how God allows the lot called for by Saul between himself and the people to fall upon himself and Jonathan, and then between himself and Jonathan it falls upon Jonathan. We might have thought God would give no answer, but it is the answer of condemnation, not of fellowship. Saul had made the decree, and now was in the place of authority. Step by step he is allowed to push on to the shameful but consistent result of his first departure.

While it was merely irksome to the people, it was borne; but when the end of it was, to “condemn and kill the just one,” God was with His people to abhor and reject it. “Abhor that which is evil: cleave to that which is good.” Again, in John’s third epistle (which is short, but full of solemn import,) when casting out was in progress, and John himself was rejected—”Receiveth us not, … neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the assembly”—the word for guidance is, “Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good.” The same divine principle is found in 2 Timothy 2—”Depart from iniquity.” Whether it be Diotrephes, or Saul as king, or a whole assembly that would bind unrighteousness upon the saints, it is no virtue to hesitate to “Abhor that which is evil.” “And this is love, that we walk after His commandments.”

Let us be humble, and willing to have our conclusions tested by the Word at every step, and seek to make all allowance in love. But there is such a thing as a lack of discernment of evil when manifest, and the seeking of peace before righteousness—which is neither love nor spirituality, and unfits for doing battle when the enemy is encroaching in power, and has gained a foothold amongst us.

“But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in a honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened. Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food this day. And the people were faint [the effect of legality]. The said Jonathan, My father hath troubled the land: see, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened [“Christ hath made us free,” Gal. 5:1], because I tasted a little of this honey. How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for had there not been now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?”

Behold the effect of human decrees and creeds—they fetter the conscience and the heart, and they famish the soul—and not a servant of Christ has been raised up to stand in the gap for the truth in a day of shame and trembling but this imposing power of Satan would intimidate and drive him from the path of faith, and turn victory into confusion and defeat; stirring up even the devout and honorable to array themselves unwittingly against their own souls’ interest and the purposes of God for blessing.

“Let brotherly love continue,” but let us have our eyes open and the heart undeceived. Saul got no answer from God, and none from the people, before appealing to the lot. It was his own will he was pressing to the bitter end.

Saul sets forth the Pharisee in power at Jerusalem when the Lord was crucified, and “the burdens which neither we nor our fathers were able to bear” corresponds to the fainting of the people under Saul’s decree.

Step by step, in the Lord’s life of service and manifestation of Himself—of the truth,—was manifest also increasingly the irreconcilable and bitter enmity of the traditions of the Jews against Him and what He did. He could not deny Himself, and tradition and the carnal mind could not change; therefore, the cross was the result. So Jonathan goes through death in a figure, and is delivered by the power of God. How much it costs to bear witness for the truth! How plainly it indicates who is behind the scenes in opposition!

So deceived may be the heart that the ruler of the synagogue can rebuke, and put in the place of an offender the Lord of glory, as a breaker of the Sabbath.

There is something truly precious in the word, “Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with an oath.” The diligent soul, in happy liberty, occupied with God and the Word of His grace, is not imposed upon by human decrees, nor hindered by tradition from receiving and declaring the whole counsel of God.

He was “without the camp,” and heard not the legal decree.

Let us beware of tradition. In every age it has thrust itself in between the saints and the free enjoyment of the Word of God. We easily become drowsy, and prefer the old wine, and rest in what is in vogue among us, clinging to it tenaciously, until error is so enthroned that it cannot be called in question—but at the peril of the one who would question it.

But there are dangers in more than one direction. Therefore, let us apply these principles and lessons from Scripture with moderation and judgment and self-distrust, as ready to go to extremes; and if we have escaped one extreme, as specially liable to the other. The Lord give us wisdom and humility here. But let us not fear to obey God and to follow Christ, though Satan raise a storm that makes the waves mount up high above the ship.

—E.S.L.

The Law

(1) “The law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth,” i.e., a living, responsible man on earth as such; and here, and here only, does it apply (ver. 1-3).

(2) The believer has died (with Christ, Romans 6:2,8), and hence the law has nothing more to say to him. As it looks upon his death and grave it is now satisfied, and has no further claim or dominion over him as such (ver. 4).

(3) The believer is in God’s sight (and this faith apprehends and enjoys) now alive again, alive in Christ (as also risen, Col. 2:20; 3:1); alive in Him, the risen, ascended and glorified Head of the new creation (Rom. 6:10,11,23). Christ, the true Ark of Salvation, who passed through the waters of death and judgment, and who is now alive and risen, has brought all His own through death and judgment, and they are alive in Him, in life associated with Him on resurrection soil, our Mount Ararat—”that we should be to (Gr.) another, even to Him who is raised from the dead” (Romans 7:4, R.V.).

(4) In this new scene, the new creation, where the believer (who was crucified with Christ, and buried with Him) is now associated with Christ in life and fellowship, FRUIT is the result—”that we should bring forth fruit unto God.” Once he brought forth “fruit unto death” (ver. 5), but now he produces the fruit of a new life, in a new creation, upon new soil, and under the pruning and care of a new hand (ver. 4; Gal. 5:22,23). Hence the believer is dead to the law as a means of justification, or as a rule of life (ver. 4).

(5) The believer now learns the work of the law, the especial place ordained of God for it, and what it produces and works out. It gives the knowledge of sin (3:20); by it the offense abounds (v. 20), and transgression is apparent (4:15). It also “worketh wrath,” and in our chapter awakens lust; and hence we learn by it what man is (ver 5-23), and this is the main lesson taught us in detail in these verses.

(6) The believer now sees his wretched condition, because the man in Romans 7 who goes through these exercises is not one, as in Romans 3, with the guilt of sins upon him. The loathsome and incurable nature that produced the sins, i.e., the flesh, he is learning to hate. The new life and nature that he now possesses as born of God leads him to this, as well as the teaching of the Holy Spirit—a never-to-be forgotten lesson. The two natures are here recognized, while a good deal of darkness may cloud the mind, and the man cry out, “O wretched man that I am” (21-24). Here it is “I,” “I,” “I,” the personal pronoun, some forty times or more.

(7) Deliverance is near at hand for the believer (for, be it noted carefully, this is not the deliverance of a sinner; that lesson is taught in Romans 3-5. The cry for deliverance is what Pihahiroth (the door of liberty) was for Israel, the eve of their emancipation and final triumph over Pharaoh and the Egyptians. The souls get light, the light of Divine truth; the Spirit leads in this, for they both work together from the first—the Spirit and the truth (John 8:32; Rom. 8:2). Christ is not only apprehended as the sin-bearer on the cross, but now as the risen and glorified Man in whom we are alive, the Head of the new creation. “There is, therefore, now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.” Here the soul emerges from the darkness of this experience, as Israel on the night they passed the sea. Now we get the song of a delivered soul—Israel (Exodus 15); the believer (Rom. 7:25 and through the whole of chapter 8). What a deliverance and what a freedom! Christ in the glory my acceptance, my object now for life and for eternity. Hence the heart is freed from the distress occasioned by the law, and walks by a new rule—the Spirit’s law (Rom. 8:2), and this is the rule of the new creation (Gal. 6:15,16).

—A.E.B.

(Read Matthew 17:14-21 and Mark 9:14-29)

In the Lord’s answer to the inquiry of His disciples as to their failure to cast the demon out of an only son, we are brought face to face with existing causes for the weakness and failure amongst us today. The distraught father had come to the Lord Jesus with his disappointment, and Jesus intervened on his behalf to free the child. “Why could not we cast him out?” the disciples queried, to which the Lord Jesus produced three reasons as the cause.

The fact that they asked the reason is in itself a favorable sign on their part, as well as an encouraging example to us. Whenever there is soul-exercise as to loss of power with a turning to God to seek His face concerning it, the reason is certain to be pointed out, and the remedy readily given.

REASON ONE: LACK of FAITH

“And Jesus saith unto them, ‘Because of your unbelief’” (Matthew 17:19, 20).

When faith is lacking, communication with the God of power is broken, and hence there is no manifestation of the power of God. Faith is the connecting link between the soul and God. When this link is missing, we cannot expect God to display Himself because, in the first place, Lack of faith robs Him of His pleasure. In Hebrews 11:6 we read, “Without faith it is impossible to please Him.” In the second place, Lack of faith fails to comprehend His presence. The same Scripture continues, “He that cometh to God must believe that HE IS.” And in the third place, Lack of faith sets aside the fact of His Goodness, as Hebrews 11:6 concludes, “He is the Rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”

Certainly we can see that when this principle of faith which pleases and honors Him is lacking, we cannot expect Him to work in power amongst us. We ourselves would not encourage our children in an attitude contrary to our principles and thoughts; much less can we expect Him to encourage our continuance in lack of faith, which according to His divine standard is nothing less than sin. The Scripture plainly declares, “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Romans 14:23).

The seriousness of such a deficiency in our lives is thus readily seen as an illustration from a page in Israel’s history confirms. A whole generation, except Joshua and Caleb, found out through bitter experience what God thinks of unbelief by His necessary government because of it. Of that generation we read in Hebrews 3:19, “They could not enter in because of unbelief.” A similar condition prevailed when the Lord was here on earth of which we read, “He did not many mighty works there, because of their unbelief” (Matthew 13:58).

But from all this, do we not see the remedy? The Lord would ever encourage our faith even in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Did He not promise, “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say to this mountain ‘Remove hence to yonder place;’ and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you” (Matt. 17:20)? Let not the visible ensnare our souls to the exclusion of faith. To be discouraged, to be discontented, to be dismayed is definite evidence of lack of faith in God to Whom mountains and gilants are nothing but stepping stones to victory. Let us confess our sin of unbelief and begin NOW to put simple confidences in Him Who liveth to lead us in triumph over every foe. “This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our FAITH” (1 John 5:4).

REASON TWO: LACK of PRAYER

“This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer…,” says Jesus in Mark 9:29, and from this we infer that the deficiency of prayer is another reason for the failure of power.

Prayer acknowledges one’s own weakness and lays hold upon God’s strength. It is the expression of absolute helplessness on the one hand, but the confession of God’s infinite ability on the other. Without prayer there is the ever-destroying spirit of self-confidence, with the corresponding lack of God-consciousness which dishonors Him. As “Power belongeth unto God” (Psalm 62:11), what dishonors Him must necessarily, in His holiness, short-circuit the manifestation of His power.

Our God delights to give in response to our requests. “Ask and it shall be given” is a divine wisdom. When His Word is kept, He ever honors the obedience with divine power.

In Israel’s day it was power that stopped the rain from falling for 3 and one-half years, and then it was power that again brought the desired relief. But what power? Nothing more nor less than the power of prayer. Elijah was just a man, however his prayer dried the heavens and parched the earth; and in turn, his prayer watered the ground with the needed blessing. God presses this illustration upon us to encourage us to likewise pray, promising that “the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:17).

If the earnest prayer of a righteous man availeth much, surely we conclude that the lack of prayer availeth little. On the disciple’s part, their powerlessness is traced by the Lord to what, perhaps, no one else could see,—neglecting to get alone with God in the closet of prayer. How many ills amongst us can be traced right to this point! We may be well able to detect the symptoms of wrong, deplore the weakness and failure, and know what to do to bring God’s intervention, but alas, we don’t pray! Prayer requires time; it calls for patience; it means labor. But prayer is that which reaches the throne of God and unleashes His power. Brethren, Let us pray!

REASON THREE: LACK of FASTING

“This kind can come forth by nothing, but by … fasting,” the Lord continues in His answer to the disciples. In this we see a divine principle that underlines all service for Him.

If there is to be power for God, it must be the power of God, and not the energy of man that is in operation. Hence it is imperative that the flesh be kept in the place of death. The flesh, or that inherent nature, which cannot please God nor have any place before Him, can produce nothing for His glory. Though the flesh is condemned and set aside in the believer, yet it is still present (and will be until the day of redemption at the coming of Christ). It ever seeks to vaunt itself and clamor for a place. Even in the things of God, where it is most obnoxious, is this case. Unless it is continually judged and abstained from, it will act to our shame and to the Lord’s discredit. Now fasting is suggestive of this self-judgment and abstinence from selfish motives, aims, and acts which would keep the flesh in its proper place of nothingness. Walking in the Spirit will allow the divine nature to characterize us, and permit the power of God through His Holy Spirit to operate unhinderedly in effectual service for Him.

Fasting suggests the living of a life of self-denial. It may at times be a denial of food, especially during periods of deep exercise of soul, but far more does it imply the selflessness that should permeate and characterize every sphere of our life’s activity. How essential this is, if one is to be a faithful servant whose object is the will of his master, for we can readily see that a selfish person would never be a useful servant. His activities center around his own interests, and of such Paul writes in Philippians 2:20, “All seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.” But a person given to self-denial for Christ’s sake will be found “watching” and “occupying” until He comes. His time, his money, his comforts, — yea, all he has and is are regarded and held not for himself, but for Christ and for others.

Take the matter of time: Do I deny myself time that could be legitimately spent in so many selfish ways, by using it rather for the Lord and for others? Take the matter of money: Do I deny myself what I desire and could rightfully possess for the sake of furthering the Lord’s interest in a practical way? Take the matter of comfort: Do I cheerfully deny myself the personal comfort which may at times be demanded in order to serve the Lord and His own in whatever way He may direct? But enough to remind us of our bounden duty and inestimable privilege as disciples of Christ. “If any man will come after Me,” says Jesus, “Let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24). The path of discipleship is the path of self-denial; and only in the path of self-denial is there to be found power for the path. This the Saviour Himself, Whom we are called to follow, exemplifies.

In what particular feature of self-denial the disciples failed we are not told, but Jesus knew and laid it to their charge as another reason for their power failure. The Same One knows our particular lack. Are we willing to accept the challenge of having Him point it out to us? With the Psalmist, are we ready to pray, “Search ME, O God”?

Does the lack of power in ministry in our assemblies exercise us? Are we appalled by the prevalent weakness and the state of apathy on every hand? Are we discouraged by the dearth of praise in our gatherings for worship, along with a dozen or more symptoms of power failure? Surely the Lord’s diagnosis of the disciples’ failure should speak forcibly to each of us, for we are all a part of the ruin today. Let it bring us low in confession before Him, but at the same time let us remember that HIS POWER is the same, for He and His Word can never change.

Let us, by His grace, practically combine the three remedies of Faith, Prayer and Fasting, individually and collectively! Shall we not then soon experience more of God’s ways in power amongst us in worship and service? It cannot be otherwise, for He cannot deny Himself.

—D.T.J.

QUESTION: Would you infer that in Luke 16 you get two compartments in Hades—a great gulf fixed between, so that there is no passing between the two in the spirit-world, the occupants of the one in comfort and happiness, and that of the other in suffering and misery?

Also in 2 Corinthians 5 it says “To be absent from the body” is “to be present with the Lord.” If the spirit is in Hades, what does this mean? In verse 17 we read, “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature” (or, “there is a new creature”). Would it be Scriptural to say that it is the new man, that which we receive at new birth, that is present with the Lord?

ANSWER: To get a right idea of Hades you must look at it as in relation to Death. Hades is not a place, but a condition. Death is not a place, but a condition. Hades is the condition of the SOUL without the body; Death is the condition of the BODY without the soul. The condition of the soul of the unbeliever is one of suffering and misery; the condition of the soul of the believer, one of comfort and happiness. “The great gulf fixed” is a symbolical expression signifying the truth of the eternal separation between the believer and the unbeliever without the hope of a second chance.

If you apply the test of Hades being a condition and not a place, you will find that is the Scriptural thought. One striking instance is found in Revelation 20:14—”And Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire.” This means that all the dead bodies being raised and the disembodied souls being reunited to the resurrected bodies, the individuals, who in their former state represented the conditions of Death and Hades, will be cast into the lake of fire. If Hades were a place, then we should have the incongruous idea of a condition (Death) and a place (Hades) cast into a place (the Lake of fire). But keeping in mind that Hades is a condition and a counterpart to Death, all is simple and plain.

What we have said really answers the second part of the question also. Our questioner can see the difficulty that believing Hades to be a place puts him in. Hades being a condition, that is of soul without body, the soul of the believer is happily present with the Lord. The condition is one thing; the place is another. The condition is a disembodied soul, the place—with Christ. Don’t mix up condition and place—keeping these thoughts clear in your mind will solve your difficulties in understanding these things.

It is true that “new creation” only obtains before God, but that is linked up with us as individuals, who have been saved by the grace of God Himself.

—A.J.P.

A Lesson from Ephesians 4:16: “From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”

Samuel Hebich lived and labored on the west coast of India, being used mightily of God in blessing to saint and sinner. I was greatly struck by my first sight of the missionary, and the message I heard him deliver has never left me.

I will attempt to relate his discourse with the same vernacular in which it was given. I do this because there was a force and a pathos in his words that so materially helped me to remember the subject, and I do not wish to take away from it.

He read the fourth of Ephesians, and expounded it till he came to the sixteenth verse, which he read slowly, and repeated the words, “Fitly shoined togeder.”

He paused a few seconds, and abruptly put the question, “Did you ever see a tob?” This homely appeal roused the sleepy and caused a smile to pass over every face.

“If you go to Palhully (a factory in the neighborhood), you will see some fery large tobs. You and I cannot make a tob; it requires a good carpenter to make a tob; or it vill hold no water, because it is not made of vone peece of ood, but of many, and de many must be fitly shoined togeder. Dere are four tings to make a good tob.

“1. It must have a good bottom.

“2. Each of de peeces must be fitly shoined to de bottom.

“3. Each von must be fitly shoined to his fellow.

“4. Each von shall be kept close by de bands outside.

“Von peece may be narrow and de next peece be vide, yet it shall be a good tob; but if a little shtone or bit of shtick vill come between de peeces it vill not do at all. If de peeces are near, but do not touch, it vill not do at all; and if all de peeces but von touch, and are fitly shoined togeder, and dis von fall in or fall out of de circle, it is no tob at all. Now if vee haf a good bottom and efry peece be fitly shoined to de bottom, and all are fitly shoined togeder from de top to de bottom, haf vee now a tob? No, it vill not hold water for von moment till the bands are put on. De bands press hard on each peece of ood, and den are day yet more fitly shoined togeder.

“‘Oder foundation can no man lay dan dat is laid, vich is Jesus Christ.’ Here vee haf de good bottom for our tob. It is perfect, and efry von dat truly believes in Him is resting on dis good bottom, and is fitly shoined to it by de Holy Spirit.

“Dere are many who call demselves Christians who are not so shoined, but vee are not speaking of dem now.

“In de Acts of de Apostles, we read often of being ‘filled vid de Holy Ghost,’ and ven gadered togeder for prayer vonce de whole house did shake vid His power. Shust so now He fills vid peace and shoy de soul dat loves de Lord Jesus, and likewise de company gadered togeder in His Name, Sometimes! not always. Sometimes—not always—Vy not always? Ve shall see. Vat is de small shtick or shtone between de peeces of ood dat make de tob? It is de leetle quarrel—de hard vord—de dirty bit of money, dat keeps broder from being fitly shoined to broder. Vat is de space between de peeces from top to bottom, troo vich you can see de light? It is de coldness dat you feel, but do not tell. De Major’s vife and de Captain’s vife vill bow, but not speak or greet each oder as formerly, because vispering has come between dem. Vat is de peece of ood dat falls out of de circle? It is de proud, unforgiving spirit dat efry von can feel is in de meeting, and vich causes all heavenly peace to run out. So you vill pray dat de power of de Spirit may be known in de meeting but de Spirit is grieved and cannot act because you are no more fitly shoined togeder. You are fery sorry dot you have no blessing, and you leave de meeting because it can do you no good. You stay at home vid de debil, and become dry indeed.

“Oh, beloved, be fitly shoined togeder! You haf no power of your own. Dat vich shall keep you is de encircling bands of de love of Jesus, from head to foot, and as dis power presses on each of you, so vill you become yet more closely shoined togeder. Den de Holy Spirit shall remain among you and fill you to overflowing. Den all who come into your midst shall be refreshed, and de Name of de Lord Jesus be glorified! Amen.”

“Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another” (Romans 14:19).

“Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3).